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Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Blue Blooded Vamp - A Review

Blue Blooded Vamp - Jaye Wells (NetGalley)


Overview

The epic conclusion to the amazing Sabina Kane urban fantasy series.
Sabina Kane is on the hunt. Her prey: Cain, the father of the vampire race and the one who murdered her family and her friends. Unfortunately, Cain is hunting Sabina, too.

The one man who holds the key to defeating Cain is, of course, Abel. A mage with secrets to spare and, hopefully, the power to match it. Unfortunately, for Sabina, he's in Rome and may not want to be found.

Sabina sets out for Italy with her friends, Giguhl and Adam Lazarus, to track down the only man who can get her the revenge she hungers for. But will he help her or oppose her? And just who is Abel, really? Worst of all, when Sabina figures out the goddess Lilith has a plan for her-she realizes this trip is getting deadlier by the minute. As they say: when in Rome-SURVIVE.


My Thoughts:

I love this series. It all started when I received the first book as a gift from a fellow book blogger. I put it in my to be read pile and then another blogger friend started a read along on the book. Next thing you know I am completely hooked on this series and sat around waiting for the books to come out so I could devour the next one.

I can't say a whole lot about this book without fear of giving too much away. The book was full of action and intrigue. All the characters came out to play I liked that. I'm sad to see the series end but it ended in a way that was appropriate and left me satisfied. I will say as much as I love Sabina and Adam, I will miss Giguhl the most. Jaye if you read this, you could always do a spin off with Giguhl and I bet all of your readers would be thrilled. I would lol.

So short and sweet, read the book and if you haven't started the series, do! You won't regret it.

Author's Website: Jaye Wells

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Mailbox Monday and What Are You Reading

Mailbox Monday is a weekly meme created by Marcia at Mailbox Monday and is being hosted all this month by Martha of  Martha's Bookshelf.

I got one book this week.







Into the Darkest Corner - Elizabeth Haynes (TLC blog tour)










 It's Monday. What are you reading this week? Hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books. This is a meme to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finished this week.

Books I finished in the last week:

11-22-63 Audiobook




Books I am reading this week:

Blue Blooded Vamp - Jaye Wells
Day by Day Armageddon - J.L. Bourne Audiobook.
Wintergirls - Laurie Halse Anderson Audiobook (another book that is totally Sheila's fault. I bought and read this when it first came out but thanks to Sheila's review of the audiobook, my husband and I are listening to it. Very slowly however. It has become what we listen to when we head to camp and head home.


Books to Finish This week

Blue Blooded Vamp - Jaye Wells 

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Andy Gavin Author Spotlight


Andy Gavin

Bio:

 Co-founder of video game developer Naughty Dog and co-creator of Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter has a lifelong passion for storytelling. Turning his focus to writing, he’s crafted a pair of fantasy novels that bring to life versions of our world where all the myths that should be true, are.

His debut novel, The Darkening Dream, fuses intense action with a love of history and all things supernatural. On the eve before creation God created ten special things, among them the Archangel Gabriel’s horn, destined to sound the End of Days. But what happens if you’re a seventeen year-old girl and an ancient evil thinks it’s hidden in your basement?
His second novel Untimed, chronicles the crazy adventures of a boy no one remembers, who falls through a hole in time and finds himself lost in the past.


About The Darkening Dream:

As the modern world establishes itself and pushes the supernatural into the shadows, the supernatural fights back.

An ominous vision and the discovery of a gruesome corpse lead seventeen year-old Sarah Engelmann into a terrifying encounter with the supernatural in 1913 Salem, Massachusetts.

With help from Alex, an attractive Greek immigrant, Sarah sets out to track the evil to its source, never guessing that she will take on a conspiracy involving not only a 900-year vampire, but also a demon-loving Puritan warlock, disgruntled Egyptian gods, and an immortal sorcerer, all on a quest to recover the holy trumpet of the Archangel Gabriel. Relying on the wisdom of an elderly vampire hunter, Sarah’s rabbi father, and her own disturbing visions, Sarah must fight a millennia-old battle between unspeakable forces, where the ultimate prize might be herself.

Long-time readers of dark historical fantasy (Tim Powers, Guy Gavriel Kay, Katherine Kurtz) will appreciate the weaving together of mythology, occult, and religion, while younger readers and fans of HBO dramas (True Blood, Carnivàle) or urban fantasy (Laurell K. Hamilton, Kim Harrison, Jim Butcher) will be drawn to the twisted imagination, graphic action, and romantic tension.

Read the first two sample chapters here >> http://bit.ly/yFXZSm
Up to date reviewer info, including cover and sales links >> http://bit.ly/z1rvqF

Get The Darkening Dream on Amazon

There is an ongoing giveaway on Goodreads (until May 31): 

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

11-22-63 Update

11-22-63 - Stephen King Audio book (own)

I did it! I finally finished this monster of an audio book! I won't be re reviewing the book but will say if given the choice, I would take the audio book of this any day. It brought so much more life to the book. Fantastic!

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Shadow on the Wall Blog Tour Guest Post


It's my pleasure to welcome my guest to my blog today, Pavarti K. Tyler



"I’m Holding Out for a Hero"

He rides in like a phoenix from the fire, black coat fanned out behind him.  He’s a good man with a dark past, perhaps a penchant for violence, but it stems from passion not cruelty.  He’s a lover standing in the rain, bleeding and victorious, come to find the one who makes him whole.

A hero.

The archetypical lover of women and role-model of men.  We all know who he is, the outline of his shape branded on our psyche.  From Achilles to Clark Kent, from James Bond to John McClane, he is a flawed and deeply driven man.

What is it about the larger-than-life icon of “Hero” that draws readers in?  Is it the psychological need to believe in someone who can do exceptional things?  I think maybe it has something to do with the idea that one person can make a real and concrete change in the world.  Heroes are often imbued with supernatural abilities or extraordinary qualities, but it’s not necessary for the hero to be from Krypton to pull us in to their plight.  In fact, it’s not the supernatural of Superman that makes him a hero, but the goodness of Clark Kent.

The idea of the “everyman” rising above the rest of us and accomplishing the impossible is seductive.  The mild mannered alter-ego reflects our lives back to us.  Work, bills, family and all the things that sometimes feel so average.  Our internal conflicts of who we are, what do we believe, what do we stand for, are all pushed to the side in the interest of paying the mortgage and getting to work on time. 

It’s so easy amidst the sea of chaos in which we find ourselves to feel that nothing we do has any real impact.  Apathy reigns supreme and in our busy lives the important things like life, liberty and justice have to wait until after our taxes are done.  But a hero, someone with a single-minded focus, acting for good, can make a real difference.

The hero character inspires us, makes us want to take up Jujitsu and hunt down our nemesis, thereby freeing the city. Real life isn’t so easy, not so black and white, and it makes these iconic stories so enticing.

Standing atop a high building or speeding off to the next emergency, the superhero has a clarity of purpose which I find desperately appealing. In Shadow on the Wall Recai Osman is a man adrift.  He is removed from his culture, his religion, and his legacy.  But when faced with the existence of real evil he is compelled to act. 

In Shadow Recai must grapple with his own insecurities and complicated past.  He is burdened by the same questions of substance as the rest of us. This is the story of him coming to terms with who he is and what he believes so he can heed Allah’s call to become The SandStorm.






Pavarti K. Tyler's Bio:

Pavarti K Tyler is an artist, wife, mother and number cruncher. She graduated Smith College in 1999 with a degree in Theatre. After graduation, she moved to New York, where she worked as a Dramaturge, Assistant Director and Production Manager on productions both on and off Broadway.

Later, Pavarti went to work in the finance industry as a freelance accountant for several international law firms. She now operates her own accounting firm in the Washington DC area, where she lives with her husband, two daughters and two terrible dogs. When not preparing taxes, she is busy penning her next novel.

Throughout history, literature and the art of story-telling have influenced politics, religion and culture. The power of the epic tale is universal. Why is it that those who never read The Iliad know Helen of Troy? Her story, Homer’s story, transcends the written word and has become a part of our human lexicon. The power of the written word is undeniable and Pavarti is honored to be part of the next wave of literary revolution.

Various links:





Paperback
Price: $11.95
Pages: 248
ISBN: 9780983876908
Publisher: Fighting Monkey Press
Release: May 1, 2012













Friday, May 18, 2012

Of Poseidon - A Review

Of Poseidon - Anna Banks (publisher)

Synopsis:



Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he’s heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma’s gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom . . .

Told from both Emma and Galen’s points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance.




My Thoughts:


I love Mermaids or in this book Syrena's. I have always been fascinated with them so it was a no brainer I needed to read this book.

The book started off so sad it caught me off guard a bit.  Imagine losing something or someone you hold dear and trying to pick up the pieces afterward. 

So you have Emma a basic run of the mill teenager starting her senior year of high school. The he walks in, the boy she fell into at the beach this past summer. She's instantly drawn to him and doesn't get why there's this electricity when they're near each other. Galen is Syrena, a royal. His job is to study and keep an eye on humans. He senses something different in Emma and determines it's his mission to find out what it is. As you can probably guess the heart soon follows. The other characters in this book were great additions as well. Galen's sister Rayna, her mate Toraf, Galen's assistant Rachel and Even Emma's mom. All of them added great pieces to the book.

What we get next is a story of discovery, myth and legends. It's lighthearted enough to pull you and and keep you reading and yet leaves you hanging and wanting more at the end. Some of my favorite parts of the book were the lighthearted ones. Emma playing and talking to the fish always put a smile on my face and maybe even a little bit of jealousy with her gift.

Not knowing much about the author I have no idea if this is a first in a series or not but it certainly can be kept going onto other books and I hope it does.

Author's Website: Anna Banks

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Happy Mother's Day & What Are You Reading

Happy Mother's Day to all the mother's out there. It's been a lazy weekend of camping and spending time with my daughter and missing my son who's in Mississippi. I hope you all have a wonderful day!

Not a lot on the book front this week. Seems I have no extra time these days between work, gym and family, to get much reading done.











It's Monday. What are you reading this week? Hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books. This is a meme to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finished this week.

Books I finished in the last week:

Throttle - Stephen King & Joe Hill ( quick, enjoyable read)


Books I am reading this week:


The Darkening Dream - Andy Gavin
Blue Blooded Vamp - Jaye Wells
11-22-63 Stephen King ( Yes I am re reading this on audiobook this time. It's all Sheila's fault really after her glowing review of it.)3 hours left until I'm done. Course I only listen like 20 min a day so still a bit until I'm finished.
Oh and again thanks to Sheila, I am again listening to a book I previously read, Wintergirls - Laurie Halse Anderson

Books to Finish This week
The Darkening Dream - Andy Gavin
Blue Blooded Vamp - Jaye Wells 



Monday, May 7, 2012

Teaser Tuesday


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted byMizB of Should Be Reading and it asks us to...



  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Here's my teaser this week:


Trust No One.  The wooden plaque hanging over the bed couldn't be more in-your-face.  As if I could ever forget one of the three Golden Rules.


Initiation - Imogen Rose pg. 1

Sunday, May 6, 2012

What Are You Reading


It's Monday. What are you reading this week? Hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books. This is a meme to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finished this week.

Books I finished in the last week:

Of Poseidon - Anna Banks (review coming)




Books I am reading this week:

Throttle - Stephen King & Joe Hill
Blue Blooded Vamp - Jaye Wells
11-22-63 Stephen King ( Yes I am re reading this on audiobook this time. It's all Sheila's fault really after her glowing review of it.) 5 hours left until I'm done. Course I only listen like 20 min a day so still a bit until I'm finished.

Books to Finish This week
Throttle - Stephen King & Joe Hill
Blue Blooded Vamp - Jaye Wells