Happy Halloween
Everyone have a Fun and Safe Halloween!
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| fan art by GEKIMURA |
Friday, October 31, 2014
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Thursday Randomness
The EW covers for Into the Woods look interesting. I'm one of those that love the Johnny Depp quirky roles. He's wearing a werewolf zoot suit. I shouldn't but I love it. You can see the rest of the covers here.
Art
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| For Who Could Ever Learn by Newsha-Ghasemi |
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| Halloween Raven by jerry8448 |
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
New Releases ~ week of 10/27/2014
Abattoir Blues by Peter Robinson (#22 Inspector Banks)
Archangel's Shadows by Nalini Singh (#7 Guild Hunter)
Black Spring by Christina Henry (#7 Black Wings)
Blackthorne by Lexxie Couper (#8 Heart of Fame)
Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews (#1 Hidden Legacy)
By Winter's Light by Stephanie Laurens (#21 The Cynster Series)
Catalyst by S. J. Kincaid (#3 World War III Insignia trilogy)
Cherished: by Lexi Blake (#7.5 Masters and Mercenaries)
Destiny's Captive by Beverly Jenkins (#3 Destiny)
Diamonds in the Rough by Michelle Madow (#2 Secret Diamond Sisters)
Drawn Blades by Kelly McCullough (#5 Fallen Blade)
Eternal by C C Hunter (#2 Shadow Falls: After Dark)
Forbidden Ground by Karen Harper (#2 Cold Creek)
Full Contact by Sidney Halston (#2 Worth the Fight)
Handsome Man's Deluxe Cafe by Alexander McCall Smith (#15 The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency)
Havana Storm by Clive Cussler (#23 Dirk Pitt)
Ho Ho Homicide by Kaitlyn Dunnett (#8 Liss MacCrimmon Mystery)
In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken (#3 Darkest Minds)
Inner Demon by Jocelynn Drake (#3.3 The Asylum Tales)
Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas by Stephanie Barron (#12 Jane Austen)
Maybe this Christmas by Sarah Morgan (#3 O'Neil Family)
Need You Now by Lisa Renee Jones (#7 1001 Dark Nights)
Only Enchanting by Mary Balogh (#4 Survivor's Club)
Prince Lestat by Anne Rice (#11 Vampire Chronicles)
Rampant by Gemma James (#2 Condemned)
Rellik by Teresa Mummert (#1 Killers)
Resisting Ruby Rose by Jessie Humphries (#2 The Ruby Rose)
Seducing the Dragon by Jessie Donovan (#5 Sacrificed to the Dragon)
Smiley by Laurann Dohner (#13 New Species)
Snow Angel Cove by RaeAnne Thayne (#1 Snow Angel Cove)
Star of the East. A Lady Emily Christmas Story by Tasha Alexander (#9.5 Emily Ashton)
Talon by Julie Kagawa (#1 Talon Saga)
Tenacious by Mike Shepherd (#12 Kris Longknife)
The Accidental Countess by Valerie Bowman (#2 Playful Brides)
The Buried by Shelley Coriell (#2 Apostles)
The Heart of Christmas by Brenda Novak (#7 Whiskey Creek)
The Shocking Secret of a Guest at the Wedding by Victoria Alexander (#5 Millworth Manor)
The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss (#2.5 Kingkiller Chronicle)
The Viscount Who Lived Down the Lane by Elizabeth Boyle (#4 Rhymes with Love)
The Wolf in Winter by John Connolly (#12 Charlie Parker)
The World of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin (#1 A Song Of Ice and Fire Universe)
To Hell and Back by H P Mallory (#3 Lily Harper)
Treasure on Lilac Lane by Donna Alward (#2 Jewell Cove)
Until the End by Abbi Glines (#9 Sea Breeze)
Waterfall by Lauren Kate (#2 Teardrop)
We Meet Again by Stephan Pastis (#3 Timmy Failure)
What The Heart Desires by Kelli McCracken (#4 Soulmate)
Wolf on the Run by N J Walters (#3 Salvation Pack)
Wyoming Strong by Diana Palmer (#4 Wyoming Men)
Yours For Christmas by Susan Mallery (#15.5 Fools Gold)
Monday, October 27, 2014
Book Review ~ The Vault of Dreamers
The Vault of Dreamers
by Caragh M O'Brien
published by Roaring Brook Press
genre: YA, Dystopian, Sci-Fi
Summary (Goodreads): The Forge School is the most prestigious arts school in the country. The secret to its success: every moment of the students' lives is televised as part of the insanely popular Forge Show, and the students' schedule includes twelve hours of induced sleep meant to enhance creativity. But when first year student Rosie Sinclair skips her sleeping pill, she discovers there is something off about Forge. In fact, she suspects that there are sinister things going on deep below the reaches of the cameras in the school. What's worse is, she starts to notice that the edges of her consciousness do not feel quite right. And soon, she unearths the ghastly secret that the Forge School is hiding—and what it truly means to dream there.
My Thoughts: I'm still not sure how I feel about this book. The author does a great job of sucking you in and keeping you interested right until the end. My problem is when that end came I had more questions than answers.
Forge school is Big Brother for students. Rosie and her classmates are on camera twelve hours a day. The only time they are not is the twelve hours when they are in a drugged sleep that is supposed to enhance their creativity. While we are told this is an arts school we really don't see much of it. The only time it is a focus is when Rosie is trying to make the final cuts to stay at the school.
The other thing that helps her stay is the insta-love story. This was my least favorite part. The relationship between Rosie and Linus could have been more if they weren't "in love" and kissing for the camera within a day of meeting.
What saved this and kept me reading was the mystery of what was happening at night. Rosie's adventures lead to discovery of happenings deep underneath the school grounds. I'm not sure if I found the Dean as a bad guy in the traditional sense, he was more creepy and fanatical about his medical research.
Unfortunately the ending was way too confusing for me. I wasn't sure if it had been a couple of months or a couple of years since Rosie made her big discovery and became the Dean's ward. We don't know what happened to any of the students or Linus. I could keep going about the things that weren't resolved/answered. Part of me wants to read a follow up book just to get some answers but not sure I could handle more questions.
Rating: 3.5
by Caragh M O'Brien
published by Roaring Brook Press
genre: YA, Dystopian, Sci-Fi
Summary (Goodreads): The Forge School is the most prestigious arts school in the country. The secret to its success: every moment of the students' lives is televised as part of the insanely popular Forge Show, and the students' schedule includes twelve hours of induced sleep meant to enhance creativity. But when first year student Rosie Sinclair skips her sleeping pill, she discovers there is something off about Forge. In fact, she suspects that there are sinister things going on deep below the reaches of the cameras in the school. What's worse is, she starts to notice that the edges of her consciousness do not feel quite right. And soon, she unearths the ghastly secret that the Forge School is hiding—and what it truly means to dream there.
My Thoughts: I'm still not sure how I feel about this book. The author does a great job of sucking you in and keeping you interested right until the end. My problem is when that end came I had more questions than answers.
Forge school is Big Brother for students. Rosie and her classmates are on camera twelve hours a day. The only time they are not is the twelve hours when they are in a drugged sleep that is supposed to enhance their creativity. While we are told this is an arts school we really don't see much of it. The only time it is a focus is when Rosie is trying to make the final cuts to stay at the school.
The other thing that helps her stay is the insta-love story. This was my least favorite part. The relationship between Rosie and Linus could have been more if they weren't "in love" and kissing for the camera within a day of meeting.
What saved this and kept me reading was the mystery of what was happening at night. Rosie's adventures lead to discovery of happenings deep underneath the school grounds. I'm not sure if I found the Dean as a bad guy in the traditional sense, he was more creepy and fanatical about his medical research.
Unfortunately the ending was way too confusing for me. I wasn't sure if it had been a couple of months or a couple of years since Rosie made her big discovery and became the Dean's ward. We don't know what happened to any of the students or Linus. I could keep going about the things that weren't resolved/answered. Part of me wants to read a follow up book just to get some answers but not sure I could handle more questions.
Rating: 3.5
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Some Thursday Randomness
Thursday Randomness
Decided to do some book stuff this week. Starting with some new covers that I came across. None of these come out until 2015 (which is closer than it sounds).
Velvet by Temple West (Goodreads) Orphan and Demon Vamp neighbor. Not familiar with this author but really like the cover.
Lastly... a trailer for the new Morganville series. Starts on October 27 only on Geek & Sundry (website) Not sure how I feel about this. Loved the book series but....
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
New Releases ~ week of 10/20/2014
Beta by Jasinda Wilder (#2 Alpha)
Burn Me Down by R G Alexander (#3 Fireborne)
Change of Heart by Jude Deveraux (#9 Edilean)
Covering Kendall by Julie Brannagh (#4 Love and Football)
Dangerous Surrender by Katie Reus (#4 Serafina: Sin City)
Demon's Vow by Jocelynn Drake (#3.2 The Asylum Tales)
Desert God by Wilbur Smith (#5 Ancient Egyptian)
Gray Bishop by Kelly Meade (#2 Cornerstone Run Trilogy)
Into Darkness by J. T. Geissinger (#6 Night Prowler)
Liberators by James Wesley Rawles (#5 Patriots)
Loving Him Off the Field by Jeanette Murray (#2 The Santa Fe Bobcats)
One Night with Her by Lauren Blakely (#3.5 Seductive Nights)
Seventh Grave and No Body by Darynda Jones (#7 Charley Davidson)
Shopaholic to the Stars by Sophie Kinsella (#7 Shopaholic)
Snowfall by Shelley Shepard Gray (#3.5 Days of Redemption)
The Abyss Beyond Dreams by Peter F. Hamilton (#1 Chronicle of the Fallers)
The Land Uncharted by Keely Brooke Keith (#1 Uncharted)
The Lost Empress by Steve Robinson (#4 Jefferson Tayte)
The Maverick's Thanksgiving Baby by Brenda Harlen (#5 Montana Mavericks: 20 Years in the Saddle)
The Nightingale Before Christmas by Donna Andrews (#18 Meg Langslow)
The Ties That Bind Cooper by Liliana Hart (#4.5 The MacKenzie Brothers)
Time's Edge by Rysa Walker (#2 The Chronos Files)
Wait for Signs by Craig Johnson (#10.5 Walt Longmire Mysteries)
Monday, October 20, 2014
Book Review ~ The Whispering Skull
The Whispering Skull (Lockwood & Co. # 2)
by Jonathon Stroud
published by Hyperion
genre: MG/YA, Supernatural, Fantasy, Paranormal
Summary (Goodread): In the six months since Anthony, Lucy, and George survived a night in the most haunted house in England, Lockwood & Co. hasn't made much progress. Quill Kipps and his team of Fittes agents keep swooping in on Lockwood's investigations. Finally, in a fit of anger, Anthony challenges his rival to a contest: the next time the two agencies compete on a job, the losing side will have to admit defeat in the Times newspaper.
Things look up when a new client, Mr. Saunders, hires Lockwood & Co. to be present at the excavation of Edmund Bickerstaff, a Victorian doctor who reportedly tried to communicate with the dead. Saunders needs the coffin sealed with silver to prevent any supernatural trouble. All goes well-until George's curiosity attracts a horrible phantom.
Back home at Portland Row, Lockwood accuses George of making too many careless mistakes. Lucy is distracted by urgent whispers coming from the skull in the ghost jar. Then the team is summoned to DEPRAC headquarters. Kipps is there too, much to Lockwood's annoyance. Bickerstaff's coffin was raided and a strange glass object buried with the corpse has vanished. Inspector Barnes believes the relic to be highly dangerous, and he wants it found.
My Thoughts: This is a book where I really like the world the author has built. Ghosts of every type have taken over the night time and the only ones that can see and stop them are the young. The only down side is the POV. For some reason I do not like Lucy's voice. She seems very snobby and at times seems to be trying to hard to be the "mean girl". My annoyance with her made me put the book down several times.
It's unfortunate because when I forced myself to look past her and focus solely on the story it was really good. We had talking skulls in a jar, a source that kills with a look, and a "friendly" competition between Lockwood agency and one of the large official agencies. Throw in deaths, black market auctions, and an interesting mystery and you have a good read.
Overall, I had a hard time rating this one. The story was good, with lots of interesting elements that kept the story moving. On the other hand I wish it had either been told by someone else or mixed in at least one other voice. The ending makes me want to find out what happens next but it's really going to depend on mood and who's POV it's told in.
Rating: 3.5
by Jonathon Stroud
published by Hyperion
genre: MG/YA, Supernatural, Fantasy, Paranormal
Summary (Goodread): In the six months since Anthony, Lucy, and George survived a night in the most haunted house in England, Lockwood & Co. hasn't made much progress. Quill Kipps and his team of Fittes agents keep swooping in on Lockwood's investigations. Finally, in a fit of anger, Anthony challenges his rival to a contest: the next time the two agencies compete on a job, the losing side will have to admit defeat in the Times newspaper.
Things look up when a new client, Mr. Saunders, hires Lockwood & Co. to be present at the excavation of Edmund Bickerstaff, a Victorian doctor who reportedly tried to communicate with the dead. Saunders needs the coffin sealed with silver to prevent any supernatural trouble. All goes well-until George's curiosity attracts a horrible phantom.
Back home at Portland Row, Lockwood accuses George of making too many careless mistakes. Lucy is distracted by urgent whispers coming from the skull in the ghost jar. Then the team is summoned to DEPRAC headquarters. Kipps is there too, much to Lockwood's annoyance. Bickerstaff's coffin was raided and a strange glass object buried with the corpse has vanished. Inspector Barnes believes the relic to be highly dangerous, and he wants it found.
My Thoughts: This is a book where I really like the world the author has built. Ghosts of every type have taken over the night time and the only ones that can see and stop them are the young. The only down side is the POV. For some reason I do not like Lucy's voice. She seems very snobby and at times seems to be trying to hard to be the "mean girl". My annoyance with her made me put the book down several times.
It's unfortunate because when I forced myself to look past her and focus solely on the story it was really good. We had talking skulls in a jar, a source that kills with a look, and a "friendly" competition between Lockwood agency and one of the large official agencies. Throw in deaths, black market auctions, and an interesting mystery and you have a good read.
Overall, I had a hard time rating this one. The story was good, with lots of interesting elements that kept the story moving. On the other hand I wish it had either been told by someone else or mixed in at least one other voice. The ending makes me want to find out what happens next but it's really going to depend on mood and who's POV it's told in.
Rating: 3.5
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Some Thursday Randomness
Thursday Randomness
TV
So I decided to check out Arrow. Binged watched the first five episodes. Needless to say I am now hooked. I so did not need to add another show to my line up. This will probably be more of a dvd catch up show rather than watching when they originally air.
Art
Found a site called Earth Porm. It has some great ( and some maybe not great) photography lists. I love nature and seasonal shots. Below are some shots from their 25 Beautiful Autumn Photos (website).
Personal
My little guy was born 10 years ago today. While labor was not long, it was painful both during and after. Would not change a thing, except maybe when he is being mouthy :) Still sometimes wish they could stay little.
Found a site called Earth Porm. It has some great ( and some maybe not great) photography lists. I love nature and seasonal shots. Below are some shots from their 25 Beautiful Autumn Photos (website).
My little guy was born 10 years ago today. While labor was not long, it was painful both during and after. Would not change a thing, except maybe when he is being mouthy :) Still sometimes wish they could stay little.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
New Releases ~ week of 10/13/2014
*Links go to Goodreads
Alpha Divided by Aileen Erin (#3 Alpha Girl)
Armageddon by Christina Bauer (#3 Angelbound)
Clariel: The Lost Abhorsen by Garth Nix (#4 Old Kingdom)
Dark Craving by Cheryl McIntyre (#2 Dark Calling)
Darling Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt (#7 Maiden Lane)
Demon's Fury by Jocelynn Drake (#3.1 The Asylum Tales)
Depths of Lake by Keary Taylor (#3 McCain Saga)
Hero Complex by Margaux Froley (#2 Keaton School)
Jacob's Ladder by Bianca D'Arc (#3 String of Fate)
Olympus by Bryan Q. Miller (#5 Smallville: Season 11)
One In A Million by Jill Shalvis (#12 Lucky Harbor)
Primal by Sasha White (#1 Overwatch)
Prophecies, Libels & Dreams: Stories by Ysabeau S Wilce (#3.5 Flora Trilogy)
Redeemed by Kristin Cast, P C Cast (#12 House of Night)
Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch (#1 Snow Like Ashes)
Tempted by Midnight by Lara Adrian (#12.5 Midnight Breed #10 1001 Dark Nights)
The Counterfeit Heiress by Tasha Alexander (#9 Emily Ashton)
The Golden Throne by Katia Fox (#3 Copper Sign)
The Time Roads by Beth Bernobich (#2 Éireann)
Undivided by Neal Shusterman (#4 Unwind)
Wolf Slayer by Angela Addams (#2 Order of the Wolf)
Monday, October 13, 2014
Book Review ~ Stitching Snow
Stitching Snow
by R.C. Lewis
published by Hyperion
genre: YA, Fairy-tale retelling, Sci-Fi, Fantasy
**received e-arc from publisher and netGalley
Summary (Goodreads): Princess Snow is missing.
Her home planet is filled with violence and corruption at the hands of King Matthias and his wife as they attempt to punish her captors. The king will stop at nothing to get his beloved daughter back-but that's assuming she wants to return at all.
Essie has grown used to being cold. Temperatures on the planet Thanda are always sub-zero, and she fills her days with coding and repairs for the seven loyal drones that run the local mines.
When a mysterious young man named Dane crash-lands near her home, Essie agrees to help the pilot repair his ship. But soon she realizes that Dane's arrival was far from accidental, and she's pulled into the heart of a war she's risked everything to avoid.
In her enthralling debut, R.C. Lewis weaves the tale of a princess on the run from painful secrets . . . and a poisonous queen. With the galaxy's future-and her own-in jeopardy, Essie must choose who to trust in a fiery fight for survival.
My Thoughts: Yes, there are similarities between this and the first Lunar Chronicle books. It's very easy to get past considering they are both re-tellings of another story. Neither is an original. Also, while not graphic in detail this story does deal with some serious topics.
While I thought Essie was a great main character my favorite had to be her seven drones. We get to know two of them better than the rest but they all have unique personalities. It is clear that they mean as much to Essie as she does to them.
Instead of the normal fairy princess, we have Essie who lives on a mining planet and earns her way by cage fighting. She can definitely take care of herself and making sure everyone knows it. I do wish her abilities would have either been more fleshed out or something more stable. Not having any clue but being able to use them perfectly when the need arises didn't work for me.
Then there's Dane. He got better as the story progressed but the romance between him and Essie never really caught for me. I think the author put him in a bad spot from the beginning and it was harder for me to forget what he did to Essie than it was for Essie.
Overall, I enjoyed this story. The author did a good job building up unique planets that make up Essie's world. You get a chance to experience them all and see how different they are. The characters fit into the retelling aspect. The King and Queen fit the evil roles, I just wished we had gotten more time with them to flesh out their characters. Rather than just saying "hey evil" with very little show.
As expected with most fairy-tales there is an HEA for the Essie/Snow and Dane.
Rating: 4
by R.C. Lewis
published by Hyperion
genre: YA, Fairy-tale retelling, Sci-Fi, Fantasy
**received e-arc from publisher and netGalley
Summary (Goodreads): Princess Snow is missing.
Her home planet is filled with violence and corruption at the hands of King Matthias and his wife as they attempt to punish her captors. The king will stop at nothing to get his beloved daughter back-but that's assuming she wants to return at all.
Essie has grown used to being cold. Temperatures on the planet Thanda are always sub-zero, and she fills her days with coding and repairs for the seven loyal drones that run the local mines.
When a mysterious young man named Dane crash-lands near her home, Essie agrees to help the pilot repair his ship. But soon she realizes that Dane's arrival was far from accidental, and she's pulled into the heart of a war she's risked everything to avoid.
In her enthralling debut, R.C. Lewis weaves the tale of a princess on the run from painful secrets . . . and a poisonous queen. With the galaxy's future-and her own-in jeopardy, Essie must choose who to trust in a fiery fight for survival.
My Thoughts: Yes, there are similarities between this and the first Lunar Chronicle books. It's very easy to get past considering they are both re-tellings of another story. Neither is an original. Also, while not graphic in detail this story does deal with some serious topics.
While I thought Essie was a great main character my favorite had to be her seven drones. We get to know two of them better than the rest but they all have unique personalities. It is clear that they mean as much to Essie as she does to them.
Instead of the normal fairy princess, we have Essie who lives on a mining planet and earns her way by cage fighting. She can definitely take care of herself and making sure everyone knows it. I do wish her abilities would have either been more fleshed out or something more stable. Not having any clue but being able to use them perfectly when the need arises didn't work for me.
Then there's Dane. He got better as the story progressed but the romance between him and Essie never really caught for me. I think the author put him in a bad spot from the beginning and it was harder for me to forget what he did to Essie than it was for Essie.
Overall, I enjoyed this story. The author did a good job building up unique planets that make up Essie's world. You get a chance to experience them all and see how different they are. The characters fit into the retelling aspect. The King and Queen fit the evil roles, I just wished we had gotten more time with them to flesh out their characters. Rather than just saying "hey evil" with very little show.
As expected with most fairy-tales there is an HEA for the Essie/Snow and Dane.
Rating: 4
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Some Thursday Randomness
Thursday Randomness
Art
Going to be mostly fan art of some kind today. Hope you enjoy!
This artist imagines some favorite animated animals as humans. The following was my favorite of the group.
Artist Nacho Diaz known as Naolito does some fun fan art that is available as t-shirts. (website)
Going to be mostly fan art of some kind today. Hope you enjoy!
This artist imagines some favorite animated animals as humans. The following was my favorite of the group.
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| Hakuna Matata by chacckco |
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| Limbo Patronum |
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| Super Starry Night |
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| Deadly Game |
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
New Releases ~ week of 10/06/2014
**Beginning of the month = another long list. Links go to Goodreads
A Highland Wolf Christmas by Terry Spear (#15 Heart of the Wolf)
A Matter of Heart by Tracie Peterson (#3 Lone Star Brides)
A Midwinter's Tale by Sofie Kelly (#6 Magical Cats Mystery)
A Place Called Harmony Jodi Thomas (#8 Harmony)
A Promise to Protect by Patricia Bradley (#2 Logan Point)
Adventures in Flatfrost by Jordan Quinn (#5 Kingdom of Wrenly)
After Midnight by Elle Kennedy (#4.5 Killer Instincts)
Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie (#2 Imperial Radch)
Bless Her Dead Little Heart by Miranda James (#1 Southern Sisters Mystery)
Broken by Laura Wright (#2 The Cavanaugh Brothers)
Broken Promise by Jen Wylie (#3 The Broken Ones)
Broken Soul by Faith Hunter (#8 Jane Yellowrock)
Cowboy Boots for Christmas by Carolyn Brown (#1 Burnt Boot)
Dead For A Spell by Raymond Buckland (#2 Bram Stoker Mystery)
Deadline by John Sandford (#8 Virgil Flowers)
Death Of A Blue Blood by Donald Bain (#43Murder She Wrote )
Death of a Christmas Caterer by Lee Hollis (#5 Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mysteries)
Deceived by Irene Hannon (#3 Private Justice)
Desert Rage by Betty Webb (#8 Lena Jones Mystery)
Echoes of Scotland Street by Samantha Young (#5 On Dublin Street)
Emergent by Rachel Cohn (#2 Beta)
Final Lap by Erin McCarthy (#9 Fast Track)
Ghost Wanted by Carolyn Hart (#5 Bailey Ruth)
Gossamer Ghost by Laura Childs (#12 Scrapbooking Mysteries)
Hawk by Steven Brust (#14 Vlad Taltos)
Her Secret Husband by Andrea Laurence (#4 Secrets of Eden)
Immortal by J. R. Ward (#6 Fallen Angels)
Imperfect Sword by Jack Campbell (#3 Lost Stars)
Jake's Biggest Risk by Julianna Morris (#3 Those Hollister Boys)
Keep Me Safe by Maya Banks (#1 Slow Burn)
Lailah by Nikki Kelly (#1 The Styclar Saga)
Louisa by Ellie Macdonald (#4 Governess Club)
Loving You Always by Kennedy Ryan (#2 Bennett's)
Night Sky by Suzanne Brockmann, Melanie Brockmann (#1 Night Sky)
Off Kilter by Hannah Reed (#1 Scottish Highlands Mystery)
One Potion in the Grave by Heather Blake (#2 Magic Potion Mysteries)
Over the Line by Emmy Curtis (#1 Alpha Ops)
Paris Match by Stuart Woods (#31 Stone Barrington)
Picked to Die by Sheila Connolly (#8 Orchard Mystery)
Pink & Green Is the New Black by Lisa Greenwald (#3 Pink and Green)
Poison Fruit by Jacqueline Carey (#3 Agent of Hel)
Promise Me This by Christina Lee (#4 Between Breaths)
Promise to Cherish by Elizabeth Byler Younts (#2 Promise of Sunrise)
Reckoning by S. J. Harper (#2 Fallen Siren)
Ruining Mr. Perfect by Marie Harte (#3 McCauley Brothers)
Rules For A Proper Governess by Jennifer Ashley (#7 Highland Pleasures)
Saul's Game by Andrew Kaplan (#2 Homeland)
Season for Desire by Theresa Romain (#4 Holiday Pleasures)
Ship of the Dead by John L Campbell (#2 Omega Days)
Spectrum by Alan Jacobson (#6 Karen Vail)
Stirring Up Trouble by Kimberly Kincaid (#3 Pine Mountain)
Tempted by a Cowboy by Sarah M Anderson (#2 The Beaumont Heirs)
The Billionaire Cowboy by Mandy Baxter (#1 Billionaire's Club: Texas)
The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan (#5 Heroes of Olympus)
The Christmas Bouquet by Sherryl Woods (#11 Chesapeake Shores)
The Daughter of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky (#2 Edwardian Brides)
The Empire of Night by Robert Olen Butler (#3 Christopher Marlowe Cobb)
The Eye of Zoltar by Jasper Fforde (#3 The Chronicles of Kazam)
The Legend of Sleepy Harlow by Kylie Logan (#3 League of Literary Ladies)
The Old Deep and Dark by Ellen Hart (#22 Jane Lawless)
The Perfectionists by Sara Shepard (#1 Perfectionists)
The Shell Game by Janet Evanovich (#3.5 Kate O'Hare)
The Spiritglass Charade by Colleen Gleason (#02 Stoker & Holmes)
The Texan's Surprise Son by Cathy McDavid (#5 Texas Rodeo Barons)
The Young Elites by Marie Lu (#1 The Young Elites)
Tied by Emma Chase (#4 Tangled)
Trick or Deadly Treat by Livia J. Washburn (#9 Fresh Baked Mysteries)
Truth Be Told by Hank Phillippi Ryan (#3 Jane Ryland)
Unbinding by Eileen Wilks (#11 World of the Lupi)
Undead and Unwary by MaryJanice Davidson (#13 Undead)
Unraveled by Gennifer Albin (#3 Crewel World)
Weave Of Absence by Carol Ann Martin (#3 A Weaving Mystery)
What a Lady Needs for Christmas by Grace Burrowes (#4 MacGregor Trilogy)
Whisper the Dead by Alyxandra Harvey (#2 Lovegrove Legacy)
Wicked Ways by Lisa Jackson (#6 Oregon Coast - Wicked)
Zom-B Family by Darren Shan (#9 Zom-B)
Monday, October 6, 2014
Book Review ~ The Crimson Crown
The Crimson Crown (Seven Realms #4)
by Cinda Williams Chima
published by Hyperion
genre: YA, Fantasy,
Summary (Goodreads): A thousand years ago, two young lovers were betrayed-Alger Waterlow to his death, and Hanalea, Queen of the Fells, to a life without love.
Now, once again, the Queendom of the Fells seems likely to shatter apart. For young queen Raisa ana'Marianna, maintaining peace even within her own castle walls is nearly impossible; tension between wizards and Clan has reached a fevered pitch. With surrounding kingdoms seeking to prey on the Fells' inner turmoil, Raisa's best hope is to unite her people against a common enemy. But that enemy might be the person with whom she's falling in love.
Through a complicated web of lies and unholy alliances, former streetlord Han Alister has become a member of the Wizard Council of the Fells. Navigating the cut-throat world of blue blood politics has never been more dangerous, and Han seems to inspire hostility among Clan and wizards alike. His only ally is the queen, and despite the perils involved, Han finds it impossible to ignore his feelings for Raisa. Before long, Han finds himself in possession of a secret believed to be lost to history, a discovery powerful enough to unite the people of the Fells. But will the secret die with him before he can use it?
A simple, devastating truth concealed by a thousand-year-old lie at last comes to light in this stunning conclusion to the Seven Realms series.
My Thoughts: I wanted to like this book, I loved the rest of the series, but had to force myself to even finish it. I originally started this in January 2013 finally finished October 2014. The only reason I picked it back up was to finish the series off.
I think my main problem was Raisa in this book. In previous books she was a strong, intelligent female that you wanted to cheer for. In this one she just felt whiny, indecisive, and too willing to believe everything that is told to her.
I did like getting the full story of "The Breaking" and what really happened to Hanalea and Alger. Parts were predictable but it still added to the current story and helped bring closure to some characters.
The Bayars were still the same manipulative wizards that we have come to know. I wasn't expecting any changes from the dad but it would have been nice if there had been some growth with the two younger ones.
Overall, if I hadn't willed myself to finish this series I'm not sure I would have picked this book up a second time. Han was the one character that seemed to stick to character no matter where others seemed to place him. It was also nice to see some of the younger warriors step up and be accepting of Raisa and Han, and work with wizards to try and to achieve a common goal. I still enjoy Cinda Williams Chima's writing but this book was just not for me.
Rating: 3.5
by Cinda Williams Chima
published by Hyperion
genre: YA, Fantasy,
Summary (Goodreads): A thousand years ago, two young lovers were betrayed-Alger Waterlow to his death, and Hanalea, Queen of the Fells, to a life without love.
Now, once again, the Queendom of the Fells seems likely to shatter apart. For young queen Raisa ana'Marianna, maintaining peace even within her own castle walls is nearly impossible; tension between wizards and Clan has reached a fevered pitch. With surrounding kingdoms seeking to prey on the Fells' inner turmoil, Raisa's best hope is to unite her people against a common enemy. But that enemy might be the person with whom she's falling in love.
Through a complicated web of lies and unholy alliances, former streetlord Han Alister has become a member of the Wizard Council of the Fells. Navigating the cut-throat world of blue blood politics has never been more dangerous, and Han seems to inspire hostility among Clan and wizards alike. His only ally is the queen, and despite the perils involved, Han finds it impossible to ignore his feelings for Raisa. Before long, Han finds himself in possession of a secret believed to be lost to history, a discovery powerful enough to unite the people of the Fells. But will the secret die with him before he can use it?
A simple, devastating truth concealed by a thousand-year-old lie at last comes to light in this stunning conclusion to the Seven Realms series.
My Thoughts: I wanted to like this book, I loved the rest of the series, but had to force myself to even finish it. I originally started this in January 2013 finally finished October 2014. The only reason I picked it back up was to finish the series off.
I think my main problem was Raisa in this book. In previous books she was a strong, intelligent female that you wanted to cheer for. In this one she just felt whiny, indecisive, and too willing to believe everything that is told to her.
I did like getting the full story of "The Breaking" and what really happened to Hanalea and Alger. Parts were predictable but it still added to the current story and helped bring closure to some characters.
The Bayars were still the same manipulative wizards that we have come to know. I wasn't expecting any changes from the dad but it would have been nice if there had been some growth with the two younger ones.
Overall, if I hadn't willed myself to finish this series I'm not sure I would have picked this book up a second time. Han was the one character that seemed to stick to character no matter where others seemed to place him. It was also nice to see some of the younger warriors step up and be accepting of Raisa and Han, and work with wizards to try and to achieve a common goal. I still enjoy Cinda Williams Chima's writing but this book was just not for me.
Rating: 3.5
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Some Thursday Randomness
Thursday Randomness
Books
Jessica Day George is one of my favorite authors. While her books are more towards the MG/YA areas, I find them very entertaining. She incorporates Russian fairytales in with her retellings and other stories. She just announced that she is starting a new series set in Romania, called Silver in the Blood, that she wrote long ago but is finally getting the light of day. Jessica's website.
Art
Looking for different Halloween art I came across this artist on DeviantArt. CrisDelaraArt leans towards the pin up style art work with other stuff thrown in.
And just Because... Enjoy some Benedict Cumberbatch as Richard III in The Hollow Crown. He looks rather creepy in this photo.
Looking for different Halloween art I came across this artist on DeviantArt. CrisDelaraArt leans towards the pin up style art work with other stuff thrown in.
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| Halloween is Rock by CrisDelaraArt |
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| ToyArt Thor by CrisDelaraArt |
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| Harley Joker Painted by CrisDelaraArt |
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