27 October 2010

Interview: Marcella Burnard

Next week author Marcella Burnard's debut novel goes out on sale. She is here today to talk about her Sci-Fi book, Enemy Within.


After a stint in an alien prison torpedoes her military career, Captain Ari Idylle has to wonder why she even bothered to survive. Stripped of her command and banished to her father's scientific expedition to finish a PhD she doesn't want, Ari never planned to languish quietly behind a desk. But when pirates commandeer her father's ship, Ari once again becomes a prisoner.

Pirate leader Cullin Seaghdh may not be who he pretends to be but as far as Cullin is concerned, the same goes for Ari. Her past imprisonment puts her dead center in Cullin's sights and if she hasn't been brainwashed and returned as a spy, then he's convinced she must be part of a traitorous alliance endangering billions of lives. Cullin can't afford the desire she fires within him and he'll stop at nothing, including destroying her, to uncover the truth.


- How would you define Enemy Within?
As science fiction romance. I really wanted a story where you couldn’t extract the science fiction without breaking the romance and where you couldn’t extract the romance without breaking the science fiction. I don’t know that I accomplished that…it is still my goal.


- How did you end up writing a Sci Fi book?
Just lucky? I’d been reading a lot of SFR and enjoying it. I’d been toying around with science fiction off and on for years. When the initial idea for Enemy Within popped into my head, it came in as space ships, aliens, rival governments, politics and space plagues. Who was I to argue?


- How much research did you do before writing it?
Dedicated research prior to starting the book? Not much. The seed of the story came from information I’d accumulated over the span of a year – little tidbits that cropped up and got lodged in my brain. Eventually, that information coalesced into a story idea. I started the story without further research – sort of a proof of concept. Once I had a few chapters, I had to research Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I also had to do some research on viruses and how viral infections work. Fortunately, the book The Great Influenza came out right about that time. It had exactly what I needed to augment the medical websites I’d been trying to comprehend. From there, I could go finish writing the book.


- Some authors don't read the same genre they write. Do you?
Yes and no. I do read SFR, but I also love to read nonfiction science. I’m also a fan of almost every genre of romance, Urban Fantasy, hard scifi, fantasy – I’ll read just about anything that catches my eye.


- What are the main differences between our world and the world Enemy Within is set in?
Life forms didn’t all evolve in the same place or from the same species base, so there’s a wider range of ‘normal’ physical, mental, and emotional ability. There are races that are identifiably humanoid and there are those that are specifically not humanoid. Space flight and faster than light speeds are a fact of life for these people, but so are things like genetically engineered plagues.


- What can you tell us about the main characters?
I think Ari is the kind of heroine I always wanted to be. She’s smart. She’s tough. She knows the right things to say and she’s not afraid to say them – except that even when she does, nothing turns out the way she wanted. I knew going in that Ari suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder because of her time in an alien prison. I was both fascinated and horrified by the prospect of this woman attempting to reclaim a sense of safety in a world that had written her off as an alien pawn. Seaghdh (say ‘Shaw’), with his razor sharp intellect and keen insight seemed like the perfect foil for Ari’s vulnerability – she hates exposing her weakness to him, but he won’t let her hide behind false bravado. He makes himself into her refuge – her sole anchor to a sense of safety. Is that because he cares? Or is it an astute form of interrogation?

- Are all the books of your series told from the same point of view, or does it change with each book?
Each book has a different hero and heroine, though usually, those heroes and heroines are characters you’ve seen or heard of at least once in previous books. The series follows the arc of a war. I wanted each book to be able to stand alone so that a reader could pick up any of the books at any point and not be hopelessly lost.


- What other projects are you working on right now?
I’m working on book three in the series and on a proposal for a steampunk romance that chases from London to Egypt.


- Thanks so much for being here today and good luck with Enemy Within.
Thank you very much!



If you want to know more about the author you can check out her website.

Waiting on Wednesday (25)


Author: Marcella Burnard
Title: Enemy Within
Series: Enemy #1
Genre: Sci-Fi
Release Date: November 2nd 2010
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Edition: Trade Paperback
Blurb:
After a stint in an alien prison torpedoes her military career, Captain Ari Idylle has to wonder why she even bothered to survive. Stripped of her command and banished to her father's scientific expedition to finish a PhD she doesn't want, Ari never planned to languish quietly behind a desk. But when pirates commandeer her father's ship, Ari once again becomes a prisoner.

Pirate leader Cullin Seaghdh may not be who he pretends to be but as far as Cullin is concerned, the same goes for Ari. Her past imprisonment puts her dead center in Cullin's sights and if she hasn't been brainwashed and returned as a spy, then he's convinced she must be part of a traitorous alliance endangering billions of lives. Cullin can't afford the desire she fires within him and he'll stop at nothing, including destroying her, to uncover the truth.


Check back later today to read my interview with the author!

26 October 2010

Review: The Darkest Hour by Maya Banks


Title: The Darkest Hour
Author: Maya Banks
Series: KGI #1
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: September 7, 2010
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Edition: Paperback
Blurb:
It’s been one year since ex-Navy SEAL Ethan Kelly last saw his wife Rachel alive. Overwhelmed by grief and guilt over his failures as a husband, Ethan shuts himself off from everything and everyone.

His brothers have tried to bring Ethan into the KGI fold, tried to break through the barriers he’s built around himself, but Ethan refuses to respond …until he receives an anonymous phone call claiming Rachel is alive.

To save her, Ethan will have to dodge bullets, cross a jungle, and risk falling captive to a deadly drug cartel that threatens his own demise. And even if he succeeds, he’ll have to force Rachel to recover memories she can’t and doesn’t want to relive—the minute by minute terror of her darkest hour—for their love, and their lives, may depend on it.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I thoroughly enjoy it. I was a little hesitant when I started reading because I usually don't like the "lost memory" plot point, but it worked perfectly in this story. Rachel is a very strong character and after everything she's been through she doesn't give up and keeps fighting to get her life back. We know that Rachel was drugged and became addicted but I was hoping the book explored more her battle against it instead of only getting some brief mentions about it.

I found Ethan to be too good to be true. I know that this is only a book, but personally I prefer heroes that aren't perfect. He did make some mistakes in the past regarding Rachel, but it seems like he's a completely different man since she was kidnapped. That said, I loved seeing him and Rachel reconnecting and trying to get to know one another once again. That was the best part of the book. As for the suspense, I don't think there was much of it. There were a few questions that needeed answering like why was Rachel kidnapped and what kind of consequences they were facing since they rescued her, but all of it was solved without much mystery.

As for the rest of Ethan's family, they were an interesting bunch of people, but I wished the book wouldn't have shown us so much about the runaway Rusty and her relationship with Ethan's parents. Truth is I didn't like her much.
I know this has nothing to do with the story, but I found that the size of the words were a little too small for me. I really hope that they make them bigger for the next book of the series.

This was a great romance with some touches of suspense that keep your eyes glued to the pages. I can't wait to read about the adventures of the next Kelly brother.


Memorable Lines:
“Rachel,” he said soothingly. “Honey, I’m here to help you. It’s time for you to go back home. To the people who love you. Your family.”
Her heart seized. Family? She couldn’t remember a family. All she could remember was Ethan, and even those images were vague. When had she forgotten? All she could remember was endless pain and fear. The haziness brought on by injections thrust upon her and the crawling need when they waited too long to give her another dose.

Next Book:
2. No Place To Run (December 7, 2010)
3. Hidden Away (March 1, 2011)


Rating:



* I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review.

21 October 2010

Interview: Maria Lima

Next week the 4th book of the Blood Line series is going to be released. Today Maria Lima, the author of the series, is here to answer some questions about it.
You can also read my review of the book here.


Texas is heating up. . .

The summer heat wave that’s hit Rio Seco, Texas, has even the vampires complaining, but with Keira—the Kelly heir—home from Vancouver, the weather isn’t the only thing too hot to handle. Keira should be setting up her court and planning the big reception where she and her consort, vampire ruler Adam Nightwalker, will receive the magical leaders from the local area, but pomp and circumstance just aren’t Keira’s thing, especially not with trouble smoldering in her domain. A werewolf couple has mysteriously gone missing from a local pack, and when Keira is asked by their leader to investigate, she finds that some dissatisfied neighbors may have been taking—well—strong action against the wer community … action that could be repeated, and could involve Keira and those she loves. So, with the reception looming and danger fast blazing out of control, the pressure is on Keira to keep Texas safe for supernaturals. Sometimes, it’s just not that great to be Heir…



- How much research do you do before starting to write a book?

Tons! At the beginning, I tend to have a vague idea of the primary plot line and a more concrete idea of what the next phase of Keira's arc will be. So I troll the Internet, doing searches, finding articles, etc. Eventually, I narrow down the theme, then is when I begin to collect images and more information. I read, I watch documentaries, even fictional shows. For BLOOD HEAT, I watched the entire first and second seasons of SONS OF ANARCHY, which is about a biker club and loosely based on Hamlet. It gave me a great sense of the closed society of the club and how the various hierarchies worked.


- Which of all your books did you have more fun writing?

Tough question! I have a blast writing all of them. To date, though, BLOOD KIN holds a special place in my heart because I got to go to Vancouver for a week to research.


- What are you working on right now?

Currently working on BLOOD SACRIFICE, the 5th book in the Blood Lines series. That's due in December.


- What can you tell us about Blood Heat?

BLOOD HEAT's main theme is about hatred and distrust of the "other". Oddly enough, I seem to have been a bit prescient, in that I do have some bullying/hate crimes which is so prevalent in the current U.S. news. I wrote this book more than a year ago. There are several discoveries in BLOOD HEAT about Keira's past, some fun, some less fun.


- The Seelie and Unseelie courts play very important parts in the books, but not a lot is known about them. What are the main differences between them? How big a role are they going to play in future books?
Primarily, they are both tricksy and out for their own good. The primary difference is that the Seelie Court will couch everything in pretty lies. The Unseelie Court is more direct. They are both extremely dangerous. We'll get to see a bit more about the courts in BLOOD SACRIFICE.


- I'm curious about Keira's mother. Are we going to meet her any time soon?

Keira's mother, Branwen, has always been a bit of an issue. Because the books are in Keira's point of view, all we know is what Keira knows or people tell her. Branwen definitely plays a bigger role in BLOOD SACRIFICE. We find out a bit more about why she treated Keira as she did and a few other things about her.

- One of the things I love the most about your books are Keira's brothers, but we haven't met all of them. What can you tell us about the ones we haven't met yet?

Ciprian, the eldest brother is the clan's financier. He's like the chief accounting officer if this were to translate into corporate speak. He's very stick-in-the-mud and a rule follower, mostly because he has to be. He's also a whiz at finance and investments.

Hamish & Duncan are the next down after Tucker. They are not in North America with Gigi. Duncan is a stage actor, mostly West End London and some other EU venues. Hamish lives in Japan studying Japanese history and teaching English to salarymen. They are both unattached for now and haven't had any children for decades.


- It was revealed in Blood Kin that there were two Kelly heirs. Is Gigi happy about how things turned out for her Clan?

As clan chieftan, Gigi's public face is that she's well pleased at how things have turned out...except, maybe not so much. I can't give away a lot, but the main throughline in BLOOD SACRIFICE deals with this very issue.


- We more or less know that Keira started her training with Gigi and others of her family. What I'm wondering is, what happened to Gideon?

Ah, well, you'll find out a LOT more about what Gideon's been up to in BLOOD SACRIFICE. Let's just say he's not been a good little boy.


- Bea and Keira have always had a very close friendship. Are they going to patch things up anytime soon?

Yup. They patch things up in BLOOD HEAT and their friendship is stronger than ever.


- One of the things I've been wondering about is what happens when someone in the Clan has a baby. Is it raised by his mother / father or does the whole Clan raise it? How does that work?

Because this clan is so diverse in ethnicity and types of marriages/relationships, child-rearing decisions are left up to each family group. In Tucker's case, he was happy to let his children be raised by the clan. Each child was fostered to a family. The twins usually spent time helping to rear their own kids. Keira was raised by her two aunts and sort of by Tucker. It's fairly rare that a mother/father pairing raise kids by themselves, as the clan is more apt to share in educating and caring for the children, especially since until Keira and Marty, children tended to be home schooled.

- Thanks so much for being here today and good luck with Blood Heat.

You can learn more about the author on her website.

20 October 2010

Review: Blood Heat by Maria Lima


Title: Blood Heat
Author: Maria Lima
Series: Blood Lines #4
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: October 26, 2010
Publisher: Pocket
Edition: Paperback
Blurb:
Texas is heating up. . .

The summer heat wave that’s hit Rio Seco, Texas, has even the vampires complaining, but with Keira—the Kelly heir—home from Vancouver, the weather isn’t the only thing too hot to handle. Keira should be setting up her court and planning the big reception where she and her consort, vampire ruler Adam Nightwalker, will receive the magical leaders from the local area, but pomp and circumstance just aren’t Keira’s thing, especially not with trouble smoldering in her domain. A werewolf couple has mysteriously gone missing from a local pack, and when Keira is asked by their leader to investigate, she finds that some dissatisfied neighbors may have been taking—well—strong action against the wer community … action that could be repeated, and could involve Keira and those she loves. So, with the reception looming and danger fast blazing out of control, the pressure is on Keira to keep Texas safe for supernaturals. Sometimes, it’s just not that great to be Heir…


After some major things were revealed in the last book, like the fact that there are two Kelly heirs, we start this one as Keira gets back home from training with her family.
I could see the change in her since the beginning. It seems like in those months Keira spend with Gigi she finally matured and started to learn what it means to be a leader and how sometimes you have to make tough choices and think for the best of the group.

Even though Tucker, Adam, Nico and company make appareances in this book, Bea is the one this novel centers itself around the most. We finally see the reunion between her and Keira and we discover what she has been up to all that time. I was so glad she was back, I really missed her in the previous book.

I was expecting to read much more about the reception, but there were only a few pages about it at the end. I think that part was the most exciting one of the book, especially as it reveals an incredible cliffhanger.
For the most part, this book deals with a pack of werewolves that live in Keira's territory and need her help. While the book touches the subject of hate crimes and bullying, I wished there could have been more mystery. I think it was clear, at least for me, who the bad guys were, especially when you find out the reason why they were attacking "outsiders".

Of all the new characters introduced in this book, my favourite was Old Joe. He was a homeless person, who most people thought was crazy. I found him to be mysterious and tricky. I love that kind of characters.

This was a great addition to the series, in which we see a much more mature Keira dealing with her new obligations as a heir. After the way the book ended, I can't wait to read the next one!


Previous Books:
1. Matters of the Blood
2. Blood Bargain
3. Blood Kin

Next Book:
5. Blood Sacrifice (2011)


Rating:



* I received an eArc of this book from the author for review.

Waiting on Wednesday (24)


Author: Robin McKinley
Title: Pegasus
Series: None
Genre: YA
Release Date: November 2nd 2010
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Edition: Hardback
Blurb:

Because of a thousand-year-old alliance between humans and pegasi, Princess Sylviianel is ceremonially bound to Ebon, her own pegasus, on her twelfth birthday. The two species coexist peacefully, despite the language barriers separating them. Humans and pegasi both rely on specially-trained Speaker magicians as the only means of real communication.

But it’s different for Sylvi and Ebon. They can understand each other. They quickly grow close—so close that their bond becomes a threat to the status quo—and possibly to the future safety of their two nations.


International Contest Sunday (19)


So ... I'm 3 days late in posting this, but better late than never.


* Murphy's Library is giving away an up to $10 book from the Book Depository.
Ends when they get 300 followers.
Enter here.

- Snowdrop Dreams of Books is giving away a signed copy of Radiance by Alyson Noel.
Ends on October 20th.
Enter here.

* T.H. Mafi is giving away $100 to spend on books.
Ends on October 22nd.
Enter here.

* Book Dreaming is giving away a pre-order of any book you want to 3 winners.
Ends on October 22nd.
Enter here.

- Pure Imagination is having a pre-holiday pre-order giveaway. You could win Anna & the French Kiss + The Lost Saint.
Ends on October 29th.
Enter here.

* Extreme Reader Book Reviews is celebrating their 1 year blogoversary by giving away 8 books and a swag pack each to a different winner.
Ends on October 31st.
Enter here.

* Shannon McMahon is celebrating her 100 followers by giving away a $50 Amazon GC.
Ends on October 31st.
Enter here.

- Extreme Reader Book Reviews is celebrating her one year blogoversary. 9 winners will win a book from her list.
Ends on October 31st.
Enter here.

* About Happy Books is giving away a book of up to 10€ from the Book Depository to 2 winners to celebrate 950 followers.
Ends on November 1st.
Enter here.

* From the TBR Pile is giving away an ARC of Nightshade, an ARC of The Replacement and a copy of Freefall.
Ends on November 1st.
Enter here.

* Nice Girls Read Books is having a 50 followers giveaway and you could win either Crescendo or Enchanted Ivy.
Ends on November 6th.
Enter here.

- The Bibliophilic Book Blog is having a blogiversary giveaway. You could win an E-reader, books, swag ...
Ends on November 7th.
Enter here.

* The Qwillery is celebrating her blogversary by giving away 4 book packs.
Ends on November 10th.
Enter here.

* Story On a Page is celebrating her 1st blogoversary by giving away either two $5 Amazon GCs, a book of up to $9 from the Book Dpository or a custom layout design. There will be 2 winners.
Ends on November 14th.
Enter here.

* Read This Book is having a huge giveaway in which you could win one of her prize packs.
Ends on November 20th.
Enter here.

* Vampire Book Club is having a 500 followers giveaway in which you could win 3 adult books.
Ends on November 22nd.
Enter here.

- Old contest
* New contest

Do you want me to put your international contest on my post? Contact me with the details.

17 October 2010

Review: The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han


Title: The Summer I Turned Pretty
Author: Jenny Han
Series: Summer #
Genre: YA
Release Date: April 6, 2010
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Edition: Paperback
Blurb:
Some summers are just destined to be pretty
Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer -- they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one wonderful and terrible summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along.

There were some things about this book that made me put it in my shelf and not start to read it until I decided it had been sitting there long enough. One of them is that the name of the main character is Belly. I know that the book explains why they call her that, but some times I couldn't take someone who everyone calls Belly seriously. I think it would have been fine if only her family and close friends did, but that wasn't the case.

The story is very simple: summer, a love triangle and some life changings events and choices the main character and people around her had made. What makes this book so good are the characters. Even though I've probably read a lot of books with the same story elements, the author makes you care for every single character in the book. When someone made a mistake I was thinking "why would you do that? Fix it!", when Belly was trying to sort out her feelings for the boys I could actually see why she couldn't choose and when something bad happened, even though I knew that it wasn't going to turn out well, I was still hoping for a miracle, just like Belly.

Some parts of the story were told in flashbacks, and while most of the time I hate that, the author makes it work perfectly. They gave me a depth of understanding that I wouldn't have had without it. While I'm happy that this is just the first book of a trilogy, I still wish there could have been a more solid ending. I especially wanted to know what happened to the rest of the characters after summer.

This was a great YA book with an incredible different and three dimensional cast of characters that make you care for them since page one.


Memorable Lines:

Conrad hugged me first, but a faraway kind of hug, careful not to get to close. He'd just gotten a haircut, and the skin around the nape of his neck looked pink and new, like a baby's. He smelled like the ocean. He smelled like Conrad. "I liked you better with glasses," he said, his lips close to my ear.
That stung. I shoved him away and said, "Well, too bad. My contacts are here to stay."


Next Books:
2. It's Not Summer Without You
3. We'll Always Have Summer (May 3, 2011)


Rating:


13 October 2010

Giveaway: $45 CSN Stores Gift Certificate


Today you can win a $45 CSN Stores gift certificate that you can use in one of they're 200 + stores to buy all sorts of things like a bookcase,
a drop leaf table, lamps, desks and many other things.

The only thing you have to do is fill out the FORM.

US/Canada Only

Ends on October 27th.

* Winner will be chosen through random.org



Waiting on Wednesday (23)


Author: JD Robb
Title: Indulgence in Death
Series: In Death #31
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: November 2nd 2010
Publisher: Putnam
Edition: Hardback
Blurb:

First it was a limo driver shot through the neck with a crossbow. Then it was a high-priced escort stabbed through the heart with a bayonet.

Random hits, thrill kills, murderers with a taste for the finer things in life – and death – are making NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas angry. And an angry Eve can be just as an efficient and dangerous predator as the killer.

As time runs out on another innocent victim’s life, Eve’s investigation will take her into the rarified circle that her husband, Roarke, travels in – and into the perverted heart of madness
.

I can't wait to read this one. I never get tired of reading about Dallas and Roarke. Only 3 weeks until we can read the latest case!

Winner

So, I've been a very bad blogger. I was supposed to say who the winner of Venom by Jennifer Estep was the first week of October ... I'm so sorry it took me this long.

There were plenty of entries on the form, but a lot of you guys didn't do all the requirements (I'm talking about posting a comment on the post). So, I had to draw a winner 4 TIMES until I found one that did everything required. Next time make sure you read the instructions.



Anyway, the winner of Venom was ... Ladytink_534 !
Congrats! I'll email you shortly and you'll have 48h to answer or I'll have to draw another winner.
Thanks to everyone for participating!


Check out GiveawayScout.com for other giveaways currently going on in the book blogging community and elsewhere on the web. You can find all sorts of products offered for giveaway on their site.

12 October 2010

Interview: Kalayna Price

Last week, the first book of Kalayna Price's new series, Grave Witch, was released. Today she's here answering some questions about her new book.

Grave witch Alex Craft can speak to the dead, but that doesn’t mean she likes what they have to say . . .

As a private investigator and consultant for the police, Alex Craft has seen a lot of dark magic. But even though she’s on good terms with Death himself—who happens to look fantastic in a pair of jeans—nothing has prepared her for her latest case. Alex is investigating a high profile murder when she’s attacked by the ‘shade’ she’s raising, which should be impossible. To top off her day, someone makes a serious attempt on her life, but Death saves her. Guess he likes having her around . . .

To solve this case Alex will have to team up with tough homicide detective Falin Andrews. Falin seems to be hiding something—though it’s certainly not his dislike of Alex—but Alex knows she needs his help to navigate the tangled webs of mortal and paranormal politics, and to track down a killer wielding a magic so malevolent, it may cost Alex her life . . . and her soul.


- How long does it usually take you to write a novel?

The act of sitting down and pounding out the words for the first draft doesn't take long, maybe seven or eight weeks when I'm pressed. But before I ever start writing, I spend a lot of time plotting and working on the characters, and I do very heavy revisions after the first draft is finished. All in all, it probably takes me six to seven months before I'm happy with a book. Then I send it to my editor and revise more based on her suggestions.

- Some authors don't read the same genre they write. Do you?


Definitely! I'm a huge fan of the genre. I'm a reader before a writer, and my goal is to write books I'd want to read. Some of my favorite urban fantasy writers include Chloe Neill, Kim Harrison, Patricia Briggs, Ilona Andrews, and Karen Chance (and that's just the short list, I could go on. There is a ton of talent writing in this genre.)

- Is it difficult to write 2 different series?

I was a little worried when I first decided to write two series in the same genre, but thus far, I haven't had any issues with confusing the worlds or the character's voices. Kita (from the Novels of Haven) and Alex (from the Alex Craft novels) are very different and live in wildly different worlds, so thus far things have worked out. Juggling my time has been my biggest difficulty.

- What are you working on right now?

Presently I'm in different stages with a book in both series. Like I said, it's a juggling act.

- What can you tell us about Alex, the lead character of your book?

Alex is a struggling business owner--her business just happens to be speaking with the dead. She raises shades--the memories of the dead given form by magic--talks to ghosts, and even flirts with Death himself. She's a private investigator who uses her abilities for the benefit of private clients and to help the police with murder cases. She's not out to save the world, she’s just trying to carve out a living so she can pay her rent and feed her dog. Like most people, if she can do some good, she will make the effort, but she's not about to go chasing bad guys unless she's pushed, hard. She's a fun character to write because while she lives in a magical world and experiences extraordinary circumstances, she still has very normal concerns like family and finances.


- What kind of supernatural beings can we expect in Grave Witch?

Witches are a given, I guess, as are ghosts and shades. One of the major characters is a grim reaper, so you'll see some soul collecting. Also, the world is one in which a magical awakening occurred after the fae "came out of the mushroom ring" so you can expect an appearance from several beings from folklore.

- Can you tell us a little about the world in which Grave Witch is set in?

As I mentioned, the fae revealed their existence to the world and a magical awakening occurred prior to the opening of the book. (About 70 years before the opening, to be more exact.) The world Alex lives in is inundated with magic. Cosmetic and convenience charms are extremely common. Hairline retreating? Have a bad case of acne? Want to repel dust bunnies from the corners of your room? There are charms for that. Magic is well acknowledged, but it is not always well accepted.

- I think this is the first time I've heard of Death as a character. What made you write about him?

Death is one of those characters I can’t imagine the series without, and he’s been around since very early on in my planning stage. With Alex having the ability to speak to the dead, it made sense that she'd encounter some sort of grim reaper type character. Once I figured out her and Death's first meeting (which I distilled down into the first line of the book) their relationship just sort of took off. By the time I got to the stage of actually writing the book, Alex and Death had amazing chemistry on the page and I couldn't imagine writing him any other way.

- Thanks so much for being here today and good luck with Grave Witch!

Thanks so much for having me, Arantza!


You can learn more about the author on her website.

11 October 2010

Review: Darkness Calls by Marjorie M. Liu


Title: Darkness Calls
Author: Marjorie M. Liu
Series: Hunter Kiss #2
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: June 3, 2010
Publisher: Orbit
Edition: Paperback
Blurb:
Nomad born and bred, demon hunter Maxine Kiss has always relied upon herself to fight the darkness that surrounds her, the predators-human, zombie, and otherwise-who threaten the earth. But one man has penetrated her lonely life: Grant, the last of his kind. With music he is able to control any living creature…including demons. And now his life is in danger.

Haunted by the past, determined to change the future, Maxine soon understands that to save Grant, she has only one choice-to lose control, and release her own powers of darkness.

This is the follow up book to The Iron Hunt in which the author introduced us to Maxine Kiss and the rest of the group. In this one we get to know more about some characters, especially Jack and Grant. There were plenty of questions about what exactly Grant was and why everyone was so afraid of him and we finally get some answers about it, even though I wished more was revealed about him, especially since we only find out more at the end of the book.
We also get some new insighs into Jack as well as things he did in the past.

Even though there's always something happening since page 1, I felt like the book didn't go anywhere. There was plenty of running around/
action, but I felt like most of it was unnecessary. Also, I would have prefered to know more about the bad guys before they were dead, not after. I wish Maxine could have gotten some down time instead of always jumping into situations blind. The introduction of Killy, a new character, was a bit rushed and I would have liked to know more about her than what kind of psychic ability she had.

In this book the possiblity of new supernatural creatures is also raised, and while I don't think they are really needed in this world, they do create a new problem for Maxine and co. One of the things I loved was seeing Rose tranform from a crazy homeless person to a kick-ass very dangerous one. The boys are still really cute and deadly, and Zee keeps being my favourite one. Also, the bad guy was really creepy and that was one of the things that made me love to hate him.

I liked this book more than the previous one. There was plenty of action, and while I sometimes though of it as excessive, it did make the book an enjoyable read.


Memorable Lines:

“Please,” Archie whispered hoarsely. “I want to convert.”
“Liar,” rasped Zee, before I had a chance to tell the zombie to go fuck himself. The little demon leaned close to lick the air above Archie’s brow. “Cutter lies, Maxine. He still hungers.”
“He murders,” I said, gripping the remains of the switchblade in my fist as a young face flashed through my mind, bloody and sliced, long brown limbs naked, splayed. Torn doll. Torn in places I did not want to remember. “She was just a kid.”
“She was a prostitute,” Archie said. “She was already prey.”
Dek and Mal, coiled heavy on my shoulders, peered from beneath my hair and hissed at the zombie. Unlike the others, they were built like snakes, with two vestigial limbs good only for clutching my ears. Heads shaped like hyenas. Sharp smiles. Fire in their breath. Archie stared at them, and trembled.

Previous Book:
1. The Iron Hunt - Review

Next Book:
3. A Wild Light


Rating:



* I received this book from the publisher for review.

10 October 2010

International Contest Sunday (18)



- Amina Black will give away Personal Demons & The Iron Daughter to 2 winners when she gets 100 followers.
Ends when she gets 100 followers.
Enter here.

- Only Sexy Books Allowed is having a 500 followers contest. You could win one of the 3 books on her list.
Ends on October 10th.
Enter here.

- Ramblings of a Drifting Mind is giving away 2 prize packs. One with adult books and the other with young adult books.
Ends on October 11th.
Enter here.

* Lyndsey's Bookshelf is giving away a copy of Burned by PC and Kristin Cast.
Ends on October 13th.
Enter here.

- Sparkling Reviews is having a 220 follower giveaway. You could win a box of books.
Ends on October 14th.
Enter here.

- Little Squeed is having a 100 followers contest. You could win Caroline by Neil Gaiman.
Ends on October 14th.
Enter here.

- e-Volving Books is having a 100 + followers giveaway. You could win a book up to $15 from the Book Depository.
Ends on October 15th.
Enter here.

- The Undercover Book Lover is giving away a 3 book prize pack of your choice from her list.
Ends on October 15th.
Enter here.

- Missy's Reads & Reviews is celebrating her 27th birthday by giving away books to at least 2 winners.
Ends on October 16th.
Enter here.

* Shut Up! I'm Reading is having a huge contest and you could win either tHe Relpacement, Nightshade or Clockwork Angel.
Ends on October 17th.
Enter here.

* Snowdrop Dreams of Books is giving away a signed copy of Radiance by Alyson Noel.
Ends on October 20th.
Enter here.

* Pure Imagination is having a pre-holiday pre-order giveaway. You could win Anna & the French Kiss + The Lost Saint.
Ends on October 29th.
Enter here.

* Extreme Reader Book Reviews is celebrating her one year blogoversary. 9 winners will win a book from her list.
Ends on October 31st.
Enter here.

- The Bibliophilic Book Blog is having a blogiversary giveaway. You could win an E-reader, books, swag ...
Ends on November 7th.
Enter here.

- Old contest
* New contest

Do you want me to put your international contest on my post? Contact me with the details.

Read-A-Thon October 2010 Wrap Up

So, these are my status for this October's read-a-thon.

Books Finished: 4
Books Titles:
- Darkness Calls by Marjorie M Liu
- Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler
- Tracking the Tempest by Nicole Peeler
- A Little Bit Wicked: Life, Love, and Faith in Stages by Kristin Chenoweth

Books Abandoned: 0
Pages total: 1621
Hours Reading: 18
:30
Challenges Completed: 15
Prizes Won: 0

So, I ended up reading much more than the last time and I also participated in a lot of mini-challenges. Sadly, I didn't win anything.
I'm going to try to review the books this week, but it's possible that I'll have to do a quick re-read to remember some stuff. Now I'm going to try to catch some sleep, I'm really tired!

09 October 2010

Read-A-Thon October 2010

I started to read in hour 5.

Progress:

Update 1

Time: 18:51 GMT +1
Current Book: Darkness Calls by Marjorie M. Liu
Books Finished: 0
Books Abandoned: 0
Pages this session: 110
Pages total: 110
Hours Reading: 1

Challenges Completed: 0
Prizes Won: 0

Update 2

Time: 20:44 GMT +1
Current Book: Darkness Calls by Marjorie M. Liu
Books Finished: 0
Books Abandoned: 0
Pages this session: 102
Pages total: 212
Hours Reading: 2:30

Challenges Completed: 3
Prizes Won: 0

Update 3

Time: 01:02 GMT +1
Current Book: Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler
Books Finished: 1
Books Abandoned: 0
Pages this session: 224
Pages total: 436
Hours Reading: 5:20

Challenges Completed: 6
Prizes Won: 0

Update 4

Time: 10:22 GMT +1
Current Book: A Little Bit Wicked: Life, Love, and Faith in Stages by Kristin Chenoweth
Books Finished: 3
Books Abandoned: 0
Pages this session: 844
Pages total: 1280
Hours Reading: 15:20

Challenges Completed: 12
Prizes Won: 0

Update 5

Time: 12:15 GMT +1
Current Book: A Little Bit Wicked: Life, Love, and Faith in Stages by Kristin Chenoweth
Books Finished: 3
Books Abandoned: 0
Pages this session: 173
Pages total: 1453
Hours Reading: 16:50

Challenges Completed: 14
Prizes Won: 0

Challenges:

Hour 6

Microfiction

As I walk by the street I see the reflection of a man in a storefront's mirror. He seems familiar but I can't quite place him so I decide to turn around to get a better look. Pale blonde hair hides most of his face but I can almost be sure that it's him, the one that got away, my one regret in life. My heart starts to pound and I start running toward him.
"Jack!" I shout, "You're back!"
But as the wind lifts the hair out of his face I realize that it's not him, and that I may never right the wrongs I once did.

Hour 7

Armchair Travelling

Right now I'm reading Darkness Calls and it's set in Seattle. It seems like an interesting city, seeing as how they have the mountains and the sea/lake nearby. I also finished yesterday the Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan and it was great hearing and learning about all these new places, especially Egypt.

Hour 8

Love To Hate

1. Reth - Paranormalcy by Kiersten White: He was one of the bad guys but there was something about him that I really like.

2. Roland - Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. He's the ultimate bad guy, powerful, clever and has penty of resources. Still, there is something about him that it's mysterious and makes him interesting.

3. Marsilia - Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs: She's an evil vampire that can kick mayor ass. What's not to love or hate?

4. Queen Mab - Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher: She's a faerie queen, powerful, manipulative, cold, intelligent ... I shouldn't like her but I do. She makes the books much more interesting.

5. Trent - The Hollows series by Kim Harrison: When I'm sure he's a bad guy he goes and does something nice. I don't really understand him, which is why he still is a bad guy to me.

Hour 9

Shake your Pom-Poms

Cheer with your heart,
Cheer what you feel,
That's when you know the book is real!

Hour 10

Pet Pics

The only book with a "pet" that I really liked was His Majesty's Dragon with the dragon Temeraire (not sure if a dragon counts).

Temeraire threatens to trash the tall trees.

Hour 12

Mid-Event Survey

1. What are you reading right now? Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler
2. How many books have you read so far? 1
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? Masques by Patricia Briggs.
4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day? No.
5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? I've had a few and I try really hard not to scream at people to stop interrupting me.
6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? Apparently I'm reading less and slower than the one in April.
7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? Not really.
8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year? I would set some books aside to read them in the 24 hours period. I spend almost an hour trying to decide what to read.
9. Are you getting tired yet? Yes, I really want to go to sleep.
10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered? Haven't though of anything yet.

Hour 13

Title Word Scramble

1. Firefly Lane
2. East of Eden
3. Water for Elephants
4. To Kill A Mockingbird
5. The Great Gatsby
6. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
7. The Art of Racing in the Rain
8. The Time Traveler's Wife
9. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
10. Diary of a Wimpy Kid
11. A Wrinkle in Time
12. The Polar Express
13. Love Walked In
14. Where the Wild Things Are
15. The Shining
16. Goodnight Moon
17. Interview with a Vampire
18. The Secret Life of Bees
19. The Search
20. The Help

Hour 14

Under the Covers

The 2 books I've read that where different from their cover and/or blurb are:
- Second Hand Heart by Catherine Ryan Hyde: I though it was a romance but it turned out to be a story about growing up and maturing.
- Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder: I though it was a historical book but it turned out to be a fantasy. It was great anyway.


Hour 18

Pitch Your Book

Right now I'm reading Tracking the Tempest by Nicole Peeler. This is an awesome follow up to the previous book Tempest Rising, that has a great cast of characters that have some great powers (this is an urban fantasy novel) and has plenty of humour in it.

Hour 19

Non-Fiction Readthon

The non fiction book I'm reading is A Little Bit Wicked: Life, Love, and Faith in Stages by Kristin Chenoweth. I'm just starting it, though.

Hour 20

Memoir/True Story

1. Have you ever read a memoir/true story (Or book 'based on true events'?) Yes

2. If so, what was the title/author? Open by Andre Agassi

3. What what it about? It was about the life of tennis player Andre Agassi.

4. Did you like it? Would you recommend it? I did like it and I would recommend it especially to tennis fans.

5. How many have you read? 2 or 3

6. Why or what made you want to read it? The story seemed interesting.

7. What was the saddest/scariest one you read? I read one about Marlon Brando and it was pretty sad at the end.

8. Did it have a 'happy ending'? It depends on what you think is a happy ending. Personally, the one about Brando didn't.

9. When choosing a memoir/true story, do you look for a certain kind? ( i.e. historical diary, inspirational like The Freedom Writer's Diary, Christian, non Christian) I have to be curious about the person and/or story.


10. Bonus question(s-it's in parts:) for my giveaway: Have you read 3 or more memoirs/true stories? Title/Author, would you recommend them?If you were to win the giveaway prize, would you want the book, (Sizzling 16 by Janet Evanovich) and would you prefer the coffee or tea? or both? I think I've read 3 (I'm reading the 3rd now): Open by Andre Agassi, A Little Bit Wicked: Life, Love, and Faith in Stages by Kristin Chenoweth and one about Marlon Brando (don't remember the title or author, I read it a long time ago). I'm a fan of Evanovich and I haven't read her last 2 books, so Sizzling 16 would be fine. I don't drink either coffee or tea, but if I had to choose I'll say tea.

Hour 21

Character Photo Challenge



This would be Maxine Kiss from Darkness Calls by Marjorie M. Liu. I know I'm supposed to take a picture, but my camera is broken.

07 October 2010

Review: Chimera by Rob Thurman


Title: Chimera
Author: Rob Thurman
Series: Chimera #1
Genre: Sci Fi
Release Date: June 1, 2010
Publisher: Roc
Edition: Paperback
Blurb:
Ten years ago, Stefan Korsak's younger brother was kidnapped. Not a day has passed that Stefan hasn't thought about him. As a rising figure in the Russian mafia, he has finally found him. But when he rescues Lukas, he must confront a terrible truth-his brother is no longer his brother. He is a trained, genetically-altered killer. Now, those who created him will do anything to reclaim him. And the closer Stefan grows to his brother, the more he realizes that saving Lukas may be easier than surviving him...

This was the second book I've read by Rob Thurman. The first, Nightlife, is also about two brothers and I can definitely see the similarities between both books. The main difference is that in this one both brothers have been separated for 10 years and the younger brother doesn't remember anything about his past or family.

Stefan, the older brother, is a very interesting character. He has been feeling guilty for his brother kidnapping for a long time and he hasn't been able to care for anyone that wasn't Lukas. He kept his feelings bottled up and made some bad choices in his life, especially when he decided to work for the mob, but all of that changes when he finds Lukas.

Lukas or Michael, which is how they named him in the Institution, is a very complicated character. They trained him to follow orders and to not have feelings, so when Stefan breaks him out of there it takes him some time to adjust. It was interesting seeing his reactions to the normal day stuff he never experienced and I loved how he comes to care for Stefan little by little.

This is a very character driven novel and all through the book we learn about Stefan's past, his role as a bodyguard in the mob, the connections he has with other people and how they affect him, but most of all, we see the relationship between Stefan and Misha develop from complete strangers to brothers.

One of the things I liked the most was that the bad guy was a "science guy". He's a smart person with no morals that will stop at nothing to get what he wants. It was really interesting learning about him and his experiments while trying to figure out what he did to Lukas/Misha.

This was a very entertaining book with plenty of action, a character driven plot and a surprising twist at the end. It was one of my favourite books of the year.


Memorable Lines:

“I know the mechanics of course.” He was relentless, horrifyingly relentless. “That was in the biology books. But I was curious about the specifics. So, if you have had sex….”
“Yes,” I spit out somewhat defensively before rolling over and covering my head with the pillow. With muffled voice, I went on, “I’ve had girlfriends, and I’ve had sex.” And please God, I begged internally conveniently forgetting my semi-agnostic ways, let that be the end of it. Naturally, it wasn’t.
“Really?”
At the fascinated tone in his voice, I flinched. Then with resignation I lifted the pillow just enough to gaze at him with one reluctant eye. “Yeah. When I was twenty-one, just like the law says.”


Rating:


06 October 2010

Waiting on Wednesday (22)


Author: Rick Riordan
Title: The Lost Hero
Series: Heroes of Olympus #1
Genre: YA
Release Date: October 12th 2010
Publisher: Hyperion
Edition: Hardback
Blurb:

Jason has a problem. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up on a school bus holding hands with a girl. Apparently she’s his girlfriend Piper, his best friend is a kid named Leo, and they’re all students in the Wilderness School, a boarding school for “bad kids.” What he did to end up here, Jason has no idea—except that everything seems very wrong.

Piper has a secret. Her father has been missing for three days, and her vivid nightmares reveal that he’s in terrible danger. Now her boyfriend doesn’t recognize her, and when a freak storm and strange creatures attack during a school field trip, she, Jason, and Leo are whisked away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood. What is going on?

Leo has a way with tools. His new cabin at Camp Half-Blood is filled with them. Seriously, the place beats Wilderness School hands down, with its weapons training, monsters, and fine-looking girls. What’s troubling is the curse everyone keeps talking about, and that a camper’s gone missing. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist they are all—including Leo—related to a god.


Author: Lynsay Sands
Title: Hungry for You
Series: Argeneau #14
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: November 30th 2010
Publisher: Avon
Edition: Paperback
Blurb:

This vampire has been alone for far too long . . .

As one of the most ancient in the Argeneau clan, Cale Valens has given up on finding a life mate. His friends and family, however, have not. In fact, they believe they've finally found his perfect match. Getting them together, however, requires one little white lie . . .

Alexandra Willan is in a panic. Her restaurant is due to open in two weeks, but her chef just walked out. Then a highly recommended replacement arrives, an impossibly handsome culinary genius who sends electric tingles racing through her body . . .

Except he can't cook. In fact, Cale hasn't eaten real food in two thousand years. Yet he's determined to prove to Alex his prowess in the kitchen . . . and elsewhere. Because never has he hungered so for any mortal woman. And not just for a taste of her, but for the whole delicious feast!