Thursday, May 31, 2012
The Warlock by Deborah J. Lightfoot
Published 1. 1. 12 by Seven Rivers Publishing
Pages: 375
Rating: 4/5
Drawn into the schemes of an angry wizard, Carin glimpses the place she once called home. It lies upon a shore that seems unreachable. To learn where she belongs and how to get there, the teenage traveler must decipher the words of an alien book, follow the clues in a bewitched poem, conjure a dragon from a pool of magic -- and tread carefully around a seductive but volatile, emotionally scarred sorcerer who can't seem to decide whether to love her or kill her.
*Inky's Blurbings: I got an e-book copy of this book for the Tour stop and I enjoyed it. A very well written fantasy it's quite interesting from the start. I've discovered a lot of hidden gems in the story world among the very less known publishers and the self-published books. There are some great stories that are told. This is one of them.
It's been a really catching story. It's well written and easy to follow. From the beginning you find the main character Carin in a crazy situation and from then onit's quite interesting to read what follows.Carin was for sure an interesting MC. She had something about her that I think sets her apart from some of the characters I've read about. I liked her.She goes through a lot the first part of the book but she handles it well I'd say.
Verick is the main guy in the book and the Warlock. I honestly don't know what to say about him. He's interesting and there is a lot that builds him into this hard "angry" man. Of course that's not all he is. Intriguing.
I really like the cover as well! When you get a less common publishing company or a self-published book it's harder to get a serious eye-catching cover. But I really like it. Not in the sit-and-admire-it-for-hours kind of way, but in the it's-beautiful-and-it-fits way. I think it's simple and sweet. Well put together. No awkward colors inserted. What do you think?
It's been a really catching story. It's well written and easy to follow. From the beginning you find the main character Carin in a crazy situation and from then onit's quite interesting to read what follows.Carin was for sure an interesting MC. She had something about her that I think sets her apart from some of the characters I've read about. I liked her.She goes through a lot the first part of the book but she handles it well I'd say.
Verick is the main guy in the book and the Warlock. I honestly don't know what to say about him. He's interesting and there is a lot that builds him into this hard "angry" man. Of course that's not all he is. Intriguing.
I really like the cover as well! When you get a less common publishing company or a self-published book it's harder to get a serious eye-catching cover. But I really like it. Not in the sit-and-admire-it-for-hours kind of way, but in the it's-beautiful-and-it-fits way. I think it's simple and sweet. Well put together. No awkward colors inserted. What do you think?
A very nice read and I'm for sure interested in the sequels, The Wysard & The Wisewoman.
Are you interested yet? Read on for a Sneak Peek!
Are you interested yet? Read on for a Sneak Peek!
An Excerpt from The Warlock:
It happened too fast to hurt at first. But, oh! the blood—lots of it, streaming from a gouge that crosscut her knee.
She hunched over the wound, her masses of unkempt hair tumbling around her face, strands of it trailing in the gore. Blindly Carin fumbled in her belt-pouch for something to stanch the bleeding. Her fingers met only flint and steel for fire-making, pebbles for arming her sling, and a length of twine that was useful for everything from tying back her shaggy auburn mane to rigging a brush shelter.
Abruptly a hand grasped the shank of her leg, and another shoved at her shoulder. “Straighten up,” her captor snarled.
Carin threw back her head and flung the hair out of her eyes. “You!” she gasped. “But—” She hadn’t heard the swordsman’s approaching footsteps—a seeming impossibility through the crunchy carpet of autumn leaves. Yet here the man was, crouched beside her and brandishing a dagger. Carin’s hand flew to shield her throat, but it was her knee he put the blade to.
Stay away from me! she wanted to shout at him. She couldn’t get the words out—not in a way that made sense. As sometimes happened when she came unglued, Carin lapsed into a language of her own. The sounds that passed her lips weren’t gibberish, but no one ever understood a word she said when she got like this. Carin yelled at the man, in her own private language, and tried to wrench free of his grasp.
“Stop your noise,” he barked. He held her leg tighter and waved his dagger in her face. “If you can’t be quiet, I’ll cut out your tongue.”
Copyright © 2011–2012 by Deborah J. Lightfoot. All Rights Reserved.
She hunched over the wound, her masses of unkempt hair tumbling around her face, strands of it trailing in the gore. Blindly Carin fumbled in her belt-pouch for something to stanch the bleeding. Her fingers met only flint and steel for fire-making, pebbles for arming her sling, and a length of twine that was useful for everything from tying back her shaggy auburn mane to rigging a brush shelter.
Abruptly a hand grasped the shank of her leg, and another shoved at her shoulder. “Straighten up,” her captor snarled.
Carin threw back her head and flung the hair out of her eyes. “You!” she gasped. “But—” She hadn’t heard the swordsman’s approaching footsteps—a seeming impossibility through the crunchy carpet of autumn leaves. Yet here the man was, crouched beside her and brandishing a dagger. Carin’s hand flew to shield her throat, but it was her knee he put the blade to.
Stay away from me! she wanted to shout at him. She couldn’t get the words out—not in a way that made sense. As sometimes happened when she came unglued, Carin lapsed into a language of her own. The sounds that passed her lips weren’t gibberish, but no one ever understood a word she said when she got like this. Carin yelled at the man, in her own private language, and tried to wrench free of his grasp.
“Stop your noise,” he barked. He held her leg tighter and waved his dagger in her face. “If you can’t be quiet, I’ll cut out your tongue.”
Copyright © 2011–2012 by Deborah J. Lightfoot. All Rights Reserved.
That's if for my part of The Warlock Tour! It's been a lot of fun. Visit Rea @ Rea's Reading and Reviews tomorrow for the next stop on the tour!
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*
This review is 100% from Inky's brain and use of it without consent is prohibited.
Series: Grand Tour #1
Published: June 1st by David C. Cook
Pages: 416
Rating: 5/5stars
When Cora Kensington learns she is the illegitimate daughter of a copper king, her life changes forever. Even as she explores Europe with her new family, she discovers that the most valuable journey is within. The first book in the Grand Tour series takes you from the farms of Montana through England and France on an adventure of forgiveness, spiritual awakening, and self-discovery.
In One Word: GLAMOROUS!
Inky's Blurb: Oh. Wow. It's been so amazing to read this book. I was so excited to get this on NetGalley as a pre-ready. But for all you eager readers of this book don't worry, it's comes out this weekend!
I love anything by Lisa T. Bergren. She's got this style of writing that just draws you into the story. she can shape characters almost to perfection. They are lovable, and some are VERY crush worthy. This was that case with Glamorous Illusions as well. Cora was a lovely and independent MC and I appreciated the development in her background.
One of the very interesting things I found in this book was the way the narration took place. You read Cora's POV in 1st person of course since she is the sole character. But there are some scenes where you get a different POV told in 3rd person. I've heard of this happening in some books but it's still very interesting to read.
I love the side cast of characters. The glamorous families and rich lords, to the low servants. I thought there was some great diversity among them. I love the to potential love interests. Pierre is the light hearted flirtatious Frenchmen while Will is the strong, handsome Tour Guide. I really can't wait to see what will happen with Cora and these two in the next book.
It was a very enjoyable story with a rich historical background woven in! I'm so ready for the second book in the Grand Tour Series to see how it continues. Very much in love with Cora's story right now. I highly approve of this latest masterpiece by Lisa T. Bergren.
Content: Clean
A copy was received from publisher for an honest review.
Have you read any of Lisa's books? What did you think? I'd love to hear!
This review is 10% from Inky's brain.
Use of this review w/out consent is prohibited.
Welcome to The Warlock Book Tour hosted through Reading Addiction! I'm so happy to be apart of this tour. I've got a great review for you as well as other goodies! Read on for a simply fantastic interview and sneak peek. And not to mention a giveaway!
About the Author:
Castles in the cornfield provided the setting for Deborah J. Lightfoot’s earliest flights of fancy. On her father’s farm in West Texas, she grew up reading extraordinary tales of adventure and reenacting them behind tall ramparts of sun-drenched corn. She left the farm to earn a bachelor of science degree in journalism and write award-winning books of history and biography, including The LH7 Ranch (University of North Texas Press) and Trail Fever (William Morrow, New York). High on her Bucket List was the desire to try her hand at the genre she most admired. The result is WATERSPELL, a complex, intricately detailed fantasy that begins with Book 1: The Warlock and Book 2: The Wysard, and concludes (for the present) with Book 3: The Wisewoman. But a legal pad filled with notes and tucked away in a desk drawer suggests a possible Book 4 before the saga may fairly be said to be finished. Deborah is a professional member of The Authors Guild. She and her husband live in the country south of Fort Worth, Texas.
An Interview with Deborah:
What inspired the idea for this story? Was is totally random or based on
something?
It’s been percolating since I was a teenager, or even younger. I can’t put my finger on
any single inspiration. The WATERSPELL trilogy grew out of my lifelong, voracious
reading habits. WATERSPELL owes something to every book I’ve ever read and every place I’ve
ever traveled. The characters are combinations of real people I’ve known plus fictional
creations I’ve admired. Heathcliff and Rochester are the literary godfathers of my
leading man, Lord Verek, My protagonist, Carin, is a little bit Jane Eyre.
If you had to rename your book what would you name it?
That’s tough. The series title has been WATERSPELL since Day One. Each book of the trilogy has had different working titles. Book 1: The Warlock was originally called “Elsewhere.” If I had to rename my trilogy, I might call it The Unreachable Shore.
Idea of a perfect dinner?
A seafood feast served atop a high cliff overlooking the ocean, with powerful waves battering the foot of the cliff far below and a light breeze filling the air with the sea’s briny tang.
M&M's or Skittles?
Truffles.
When did you know you wanted to write?
I’ve always written, since I was a little girl scrawling secrets in her diary. My evolution as a writer goes like this: Child diarist. School-age essayist. Angst-ridden teenage poet. College journalist. Post-graduate magazine editor and feature writer. Adult author of nonfiction. My first three books were highly researched history and biography. Eventually, my growth as a writer brought me to my present reality: I’m a novelist.
Most excited books by other authors to read this year?
When my life settles down a little and I actually get time, I will read Graceling by Kristin Cashore. I’m also looking forward to Death Comes to Pemberley, an Austen tribute by P.D. James.
Was there an author who inspired you to write a fabulous book? Someone you
look up to?
Among my literary heroes are Charlotte Bronte, Emily Bronte, Anne McCaffrey, and Andre Norton. My favorite author of all is Ursula K. Le Guin.
Who was the most supportive in your writing process? Most influential?
My husband has supported me unfailingly. When I’m in the zone, he gives me my space. He’s been wonderfully patient and supportive.
The most influential is not a single person, but a group: my critique partners and beta readers. I am fortunate to have many professional writers and talented editors in my life, and from all of them I’m constantly learning.
Theme Song for the book?
I can’t listen to music while I write. I find it distracting.
What's your Favorite Color?
Blue! One look at the covers of the WATERSPELL trilogy will prove it. I’m also fond of black.
What are your Favorite scenes to write?
I especially enjoy action. First I imagine the scene as a whole and then I break the action down into each character’s individual moves. Oftentimes I jump up from my writing chair and act out the scene. Acting out the characters’ moves made the scene real.
How much is your MC like you?
OK, I’ll admit it: I’m Carin. Or Carin is me.
If you could have any other author to dinner, who would it be?
Suzanne Collins. I would like to thank her for writing The Hunger Games.
Favorite fictional crush?
I’ll choose Mr. Darcy of Pride and Prejudice. Especially as played by Colin Firth.
Best book quote?
“There are times when the world is rearranging itself, and at times like that, the right words can change the world.”—Orson Scott Card, Ender’s Game
Favorite quote from your book?
“It’s a long lane that has no turning. None of us is likely to end this journey unchanged from what we were when we began it.”—Lord Verek
Mismatched or matching socks?
Under boots, it doesn’t matter.
Advice to Aspiring Authors?
Join a critique group. Also, don’t neglect basic copyediting and proofreading. Respect your readers—edit.
Any upcoming projects we should look for?
My work in progress is called “Out of Mind.” It’s a story of the paranormal set in the American West of the far future.
If you had to change the name of your MC what would it be?
Carin can’t be anybody else. Her name has significance in the story. The elements of WATERSPELL, including characters’ names, are tightly linked across the three books. Unraveling a thread anywhere would unravel the whole structure.
Thank you for reading this!
Thank you so much to Deborah for joining me today on the tour for a lovely interview!
Where You Can Find Deborah: Website // Facebook // Goodreads
Where You Can Buy The Waterspell Books: Amazon // Barnes & Nobles
Thats all for this part of the tour! Check back this afternoon for my review on The Warlock and a lovely book sneak peek! But for now, don't miss the giveaway for this book!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
To Be Published: Oct. 30, 2012 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
*Spoilers as this is a sequel*
The Tonton have been defeated. Lugh has been rescued.
The heartstone has brought Saba and Jack together.
Now, Saba and her family head west to meet him and start a new life. All should be well.
But shadows of the dead are stalking Saba.
And another kind of shadow is creeping over the dustlands.
Then a messenger shows up.
With news of Jack.
Why I'm Hyperventilating:
Guys. I just read Blood Red Road and it BLEW MY MIND. (See my review HERE) Ack! I am so hypped for this next one. It looks amazing even with the vague synopsis! The cover is awesome, following in the line of the new covers. It's JACK! On the cover. I can't wait to have this next to my copy of BRR on my shelf. If it's anything like BRR was it's gonna be a genius book. Eeep!
What are you waiting on? Link me up!
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine
Welcome to the Book Birthday Party celebrating the release of Thorn by Intisar Khanani!
Title: Thorn
Author: Intisar Khanani
Genre: YA Fantasy
Princess Alyrra’s strength lies in silence. Scorned by her family, she avoids the court, spending her time with servants. When her marriage is unexpectedly arranged with the prince of a powerful neighboring kingdom, Alyrra feels trapped. As the court celebrates her match, dark rumors spread about the unexplained deaths of the women of her new family. Alyrra begins her journey with mounting trepidation. Betrayed while traveling, she seizes an opportunity to start a life away from court.
Walking away from a prince whom she doesn’t know should have been easy. But from the moment she sets eyes on him, Alyrra realizes that her freedom could cost him his life. Without any magical defense of her own, she is plunged into a lethal game of sorcery and deceit. Now Alyrra must decide whom she can trust and what she’s willing to fight for—before her silence proves fatal.
Intisar Khanani grew up a nomad and traveler. Born in Wisconsin, she has lived in five different states as well as in Jeddah on the coast of the Red Sea. She first remembers seeing snow on a wintry street in Zurich, Switzerland, and vaguely recollects having breakfast with the orangutans at the Singapore Zoo when she was five. She now resides in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her husband and young daughter. Intisar writes grants and develops projects to address community health with the Cincinnati Health Department, which is as close as she can get to saving the world. Her approach to writing fantasy reflects her lifelong passion for stories from different cultures. She is currently writing a trilogy set in the same world as Thorn. This is her first novel.
Celebrating the release of Thorn we have a $20 GC to Amazon up for grabs! I have one rule: Please be 13 or older to enter
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
How to Participate in Teaser Tuesday:~Grab the book you are currently reading
~Open to a random page
~Post a couple sentences/paragraph
~Post and link back to MizB @ Should Be Reading
Today I'm going to Tease you from The Serpents Shadow. This is the 3rd and final book in the Kane Chronicles Trilogy:
"Our crack squad of magicians was busy raiding the gift shop. Felix had summoned three penguins which were waddling around wearing paper King Tut masks. Our baboon friend, Khufu sat atop a bookshelf reading The History of the Pharaohs, which would have been quite impressive except he was holding the book book upside down."
Happy Tuesday everyone? If you have a teaser to share post the link below!
Till Next Time,
Series: Dustlands #1
Published: 6. 7. 11 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
Pages: 466
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back. Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.
Inky's Blurb
First off, let's begin with the synopsis. If you have not read this book, doesn't that just GRAB YOU? Make your heart thrill at the thought of Adventure? Relationships? Warrior girls? Let's just say that for me it totally BLEW ME AWAY. That should be enough to get you to race to your nearest bookstore or library and get this book. You won't regret it. I promise.
The first thing that you notice about this book is the writing. It's the most unique, poetic-style writing I have ever read. Almost rough in fact. Let me give you a snippet:
Pa never says naught. He jest stares at the sky, the clear cruel sky. Then he gathers up the stones or twigs or whatever he's set out on the ground this time, an sets them away for tomorrow. Today he shoves his hat back. Tips his head up an studies the sky fer a long while.
Could you notice that? It's grammatically rough but it's still so beautiful I liked it. It still held my interest and gripped me in a good way. I just plowed through this book. Saba's story was fascinating and her narration equally so!
Saba, (awesome name) starts out with some grudges of sorts. Against her Pa and her sister and some against her life. She's a stubborn character. Fierce, loyal, brave and she's not scared of what needs to be done. She has her weaknesses at times, vulnerable moments and it was all so well put together. I loved watching her change in relationship to people, especially to her sister. Gotta love a great heroine!
The cast of characters in this book was perfect! You've got the villains, the witty and handsome ally and love interest, faithful friends with power, and then you've got the family. I love wonderful band members. When the MC has a team of friends and allies that are just the right mix of humor, consideration and sass it's amazing. Thumbs up to everyone in this book!
As a last thought I will say that the world building was really interesting. It's almost futuristic but now in the way you think of when you think Dystopian. The main setting of this book is a desert like. Almost like Tatooine in Star Wars. Very interesting setting and I'm SO excited to see where Moira Young will take this group of awesomeness in the next book! For sure one of my most anticipated reads this year!
Content: Mild/Moderate
(Language throughout (Bas****, D***, He**, Bi***, Deity) A couple instances of mild innuendo. Kisses. A character gets drunk)
Have you read Blood Red Road? I would love to hear what you think!
This review is 100% from Inky's brain.
Use of this review w/out consent is prohibited.
......spotlighting fantastical giveaways!
Hey Bookworms! I've got another giveaway to share today. one of my favorite blogger friends, Kathryn from Clean Teen Fiction is giving away her ARC of Endlessly! I LOVE the Paranormalcy series but Kiersten White and I've for sure been SO excited to read the conclusion, so thank you to Kathryn for being willing to share the love! Check it out HERE
If you have any giveaways you would like me to share please link me up!
Friday, May 25, 2012
Hi Everyone! Welcome to my Wednesday! Well look at me again, delaying. Well, maybe I'll just schedule them in advance. Haha! Anyway, I participate in so many fabulous Wednesday Memes I decided to combine them into one post, at least for today.
Waiting on Wednesday
Thorn by Intisar Khanani
Released: May 30, 2012 by Create Space
237 pages
Why I'm Waiting: I came across this book via Goodreads giveaways. And some of you may have also seen the book on tour around the internet. Doesn't it look good? It's a retelling of a favorite fairy-tale of mine, "The Goose Girl". I have loved that story every since read Shannon Hale's retelling so I'm was really excited to find another retelling of the book. It looks like a sweet book with magic and romance. I've always had a soft spot for Princess books, so count me in. I'm participating in a Birthday Party for this book later in the month so look for that! What are you waiting on? Link me up!
WOW is hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, and spotlights books we are anticipating.
Weigh In Wednesday
Topic This Week: Novella vs. Anthology
Huh I honestly don't read a lot of either. But I've read a few novellas the correspond with novels I've loved and they've always been good so I guess I'll go with Novellas!
Favorite Novella: Bourne by Lisa T. Bergren
Weigh in Wednesday is hosted by Laurne @ Epilogue
WWW Wednesday
Hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading
Current Read: Mistborn #1 -The Final Empire by Brandn Sanderson
Recent: Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder
Next Read: The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
That's it for my meme's this week!
Waiting on Wednesday
Thorn by Intisar Khanani
Released: May 30, 2012 by Create Space
237 pages
Princess Alyrra’s
strength lies in silence. Scorned by her family, she avoids the court,
spending her time with servants. When her marriage is unexpectedly
arranged with the prince of a powerful neighboring kingdom, Alyrra feels
trapped. As the court celebrates her match, dark rumors spread about
the unexplained deaths of the women of her new family. Alyrra begins her
journey with mounting trepidation; betrayed while traveling, she seizes
an opportunity to start a life away from court.
Walking away from a prince whom she doesn’t know should have been easy. But from the moment she sets eyes on him, Alyrra realizes that her freedom could cost him his life. Without any magical defense of her own, she is plunged into a lethal game of sorcery and deceit. Now Alyrra must decide whom she can trust and what she’s willing to fight for—before her silence proves fatal.
Walking away from a prince whom she doesn’t know should have been easy. But from the moment she sets eyes on him, Alyrra realizes that her freedom could cost him his life. Without any magical defense of her own, she is plunged into a lethal game of sorcery and deceit. Now Alyrra must decide whom she can trust and what she’s willing to fight for—before her silence proves fatal.
Why I'm Waiting: I came across this book via Goodreads giveaways. And some of you may have also seen the book on tour around the internet. Doesn't it look good? It's a retelling of a favorite fairy-tale of mine, "The Goose Girl". I have loved that story every since read Shannon Hale's retelling so I'm was really excited to find another retelling of the book. It looks like a sweet book with magic and romance. I've always had a soft spot for Princess books, so count me in. I'm participating in a Birthday Party for this book later in the month so look for that! What are you waiting on? Link me up!
WOW is hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, and spotlights books we are anticipating.
Weigh In Wednesday
Topic This Week: Novella vs. Anthology
Huh I honestly don't read a lot of either. But I've read a few novellas the correspond with novels I've loved and they've always been good so I guess I'll go with Novellas!
Favorite Novella: Bourne by Lisa T. Bergren
Weigh in Wednesday is hosted by Laurne @ Epilogue
WWW Wednesday
Hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading
Current Read: Mistborn #1 -The Final Empire by Brandn Sanderson
Recent: Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder
Next Read: The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
That's it for my meme's this week!
Thursday, May 24, 2012
I finally the the baby mermaid I always wanted. So cute, but not really. I put her in the Mermaid Tank and she splashes me! I thought I was getting a tame one. Apparently not because now I look like I've wet myself. ALL OVER.
So fun to see all the other Supernatural encounters gone wrong over the on the blog! Make sue to check out the Paranomalcy Series by Kiersten! Way to much fun!
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Published: 10. 1. 08 by Flux
Pages: 257
Rating: 5/5 Stars
There's someone else smitten with Rox, too. It's Leyla, Cyrie's pretty yet tongue-tied best friend. Helping Leyla seduce Rox through email provides a wonderful way for Cyrie to express her true feelings. But watching her crush hook up with Leyla may be more than she can take. Will Cyrie find the strength to risk it all--nose be damned--and confess her love?
Blurb From Inky: Cyrano De Bergerac is one of my FAVORITE books ever. It's a fabulous play, so funny and just a great read all around. So I was super excited to find this really sweet retelling of the play. The characters are mixed around to make it work.
I had a blast reading this. I was so fun to relive this story in a fresh way! This book was original and creative. Ah, it was a delight to the soul. Just re-living the events from the originally in a new way was great! It was all so well put together to retell the classic story.
I always love finding a really well done retelling and this for sure fit the bill. Very fun read.
Content: Mild
(Language scattered around (OMG, S***, D***) A couple moments of innuendo, a few kisses)
Have you read Cyrano de Bergerac? Whatcha think? If you haven't are you interested now?
This review is 100% from Inky's brain. Use of this review w/out consent is prohibited.
Today I'm featuring a teaser from The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson, the first book in the highly acclaimed Mistborn Trilogy:
I consider myself to be a man of principle. ut, what man does not? Even the cutthroat, I have noticed, considers his actions "moral" after a fashion.
Perhaps another person, reading of my life would name me a religious tyrant. He could call me arrogant. What is to make that man's opinion any less valid than my own?
I guess it all comes down to one fact: In the end, I'm the one with the armies.
So what do you think? Are you teased now? So far I'm really enjoying this book, but trust me its not a fluff read! Look for my review later this week. What have you teased or been teased about this week? What are you looking forward to?
Hugs and Candy,
I've got another awesome giveaway to spotlight! Fiction Freak has reaches her Eleventy-First Follower! (did ya catch the Lord of the Rings reference there?) Congrats to her for that! That's so fun and she is now hosting a celebratory giveaway! You could win any book from the Book Depo up to $15.
Make sure you stop by to say congrats! Don't miss! Thanks of Fiction Freak for hosting!
Monday, May 21, 2012
Well, it's time to recap all the events of the Read-A-Thon last week. For sure I kinda half finished my read-a-thon... It's a bit sad because I had planned 6 books, and then a few entered the picture that I hadn't planned. So let's review.
What I Finished
Dark Mirror by M. J. Putney
Belles by Jen Calonita
At Face Value by Emily Franklin
Planned But Didn't Finish
Breathe by Lisa T. Bergren
The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
Blood Red Road by Moira Young
Other Books Read
Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder
Maybe I'm an overachiever when it comes to books. Maybe I didn't spend enough time reading. Either way I didn't finish, but I still had lots of fun with what I did! Did you get your challenge complete? If you did, YAY! Good job! Lemme know what you read!
Next time a Read-A-Thon comes around...*cracks knuckles*....I will be ready.
Series: Healer #1
Published: 12. 20. 11 by Mira (Harlequin)
Pages: 390
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Laying hands upon the
injured and dying, Avry of Kazan absorbs their wounds and diseases into
herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted.
Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated
the Fifteen Realms, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.
Stressed
and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who,
shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her
capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his
own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken
prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the
daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry
must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because
the price of peace may well be her life...
In One Word: Breathtaking
What I Thought: Oh. Wow. This. Book. Was. Amazing. This is the first of Maria's books that I have read and it won't be the last. It had everything you could want in a novel! Action, Magic, Surprises, and Romance! It was an incredible blend of all into one delightful read.
There were quite a few times I had to put this book down, but I ALWAYS wanted to come back to it. Sometimes I was annoyed when I had to set it down for a minutes. A ton of things went into that. First I felt like the setting and world building was incredible. I was just sucked into the land of the 15 Kingdoms and the magic and all the little details that make the world what it was. Like some of the special plants including the Death Lilies. And the way it was presented was great as well. Not overwhelming in detail, but introduced as the story progressed. I like that. She didn't spend paragraphs describing things. It just flowed Which brings me to my next point...
The writing was almost seamless. I grabbed me and didn't really let me go. There were twists I didn't see coming and surprises that brought up the suspense and depth of the story. Another aspect that I loved was Avry's character. She was developed and introduced as the story progressed so that I could understand how she felt and sympathize with her. She wasn't one of those characters you just hate. At least she wasn't for me.
Going into the romantic aspect...it was great. This is not one of your traditional romances. I'm not going to say anything about who the love is but loved how it wasn't love from the beginning. It wasn't love till past the halfway point! It was a "grow and change and evolve into love". It was an incredible development and satisfying to know that they had already had that rough patch and grown together.
Okay, the Monkeys were amazing. Flea was so great! I loved that whole juggling theme. Loren and Quain reminded me of Merry and Pippin from Lord of the Rings. I just love the whole gang and seeing them and their history fit into their characters!
So that's my blurb on this book. I would really recommend it. I'm for sure excited for the release of the sequel, come next year! For those who like content ratings and/or worry about content, there is a bit of questionable happenings at the end. Read on for specifics.
Content: Moderate
(Language throughout (D***, H***, Bas****) Kissing. Forced passion via magic. Some implied sex at the end.)
Themes of the Review: Very well done development and progressiveness in many aspects of the story. Well told and engaging. A very fun read!
Find This Book: Goodreads / Amazon
Have you read Touch of Power? Have you read any other books by Maria? What would you recommend? Would love to hear your thoughts!
Till Next Time,
This review is 100% from Inky's brain. Use of this review w/out consent is prohibited.
Have you seen this beautiful cover yet? My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century just got a major Makeover! You may have seen this already but I just had to share! It's GORGEOUS and I'm even more excited now to read this! Yay! Fantastical! Who else is excited?
Goodreads Summary:
On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze.
Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore. Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?
Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore. Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?
Find MSSSC on Goodreads HERE!
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Hey-O! Hope you had a great week in books! I had a pretty great one myself, mostly due to the great books I snagged from the library this week. I'm such a believer in libraries. But I did get some other fun goodies so onto the books!
Library Loot
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| Illuminate by Aimee Agresti |
This looks like a great (and big!) new 2012 debut! Super excited to read it!
 |
| Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould |
So excited to read this one. It looks a lot like Venom (which releases this fall) and I'm DYING for Venom so yay for Italian intrigue!
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| City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare |
Yep. FINALLY getting to this one! It's probably a crime that I've only read City of Bones, but I'm really excited to keep reading since there are so many more to look forward to.
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| The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong Really excited to get the next installment in this thrilling series! |
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| The Swan Kingdom by Zoe Mariott |
There is some FAB blurb for this book and it's a retelling of my favorite fairytale ever! (The Wild Swans) So I'm pretty hyped to read this!
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| The Walk by Richard Paul Evans I've read quite a few Evans novels and since my momma really likes this series I figured I should give it a try! |
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| Cloaked by Alex Flinn I have NOT read any Alex Flinn books yet. I know, shame on me, but this one has appealed the most and I'm excited to read it! (PLUS, COVER LUST) |
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| An Echo In The Darkness by Francine Rivers |
This is the sequel to A Voice in the Wind, a book I loved so I can't wait to read this sequel (find AVITW review in Archives)
Borrowed Books
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| The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson |
So excited to read this! AMAZING BLURB.
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| The Serpent's Shadow by Rick Riordan |
Glad to have the conclusion to this enjoyable series. But it doesn't have anything on Percy!
Bought Books
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| Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder Already been blurbing and it's amazing! |
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| Eye Candy by Tera Lynn Childs |
Got this for free on Amazon Kindle! Looks cute and fun! Love TLC!
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| Seeds of Discovery by Breena Puttroff |
Got for free on Amazon Kindle, looks like a sweet book.
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| Tangles Tides by Karen Amanda Hooper |
Again with the free on Amazon! (or maybe just really cheep) Tither way this looks good.
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So that's been my week so far. Hope you had a great one. Got lots of fun in posts hopefully this next week. Will post a re-cap of the Read-A-Thon soon! Feel free to link me to your mailboxes! Happy Reading!
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