Welcome to Steven's Cybrary

Star Wars Head-to-Head: The 30 Wildest Matchups You've Never Seen! by Pablo Hildago

2012-01-02T00:20:00.000-08:00

What would happen if your favorite Star Wars characters, creatures, and vehicles that never got to duel were to go head-to-head? Thirty stunning battles include Darth Vader Vs. Yoda, the Millenium Falcon Vs. the Sith Infiltrator, and Ewok Vs. Jawa! Decide who you think would win these never-before-seen face-offs. Then check out what the experts have to say about these incredible showdowns!

This book was a hard one to decide on how to approach a review. The easiest option was to simply say,"Yes it was good." Or, "No it was bad!" Realistically that wasn't an option. So I approached this review as if it were a real championship. I reviewed each battle and simply compiled it into a list of my thoughts and whether I agreed or disagreed. Everyone knows I am a die-hard Star Wars fanatic. Yes, I even have a Star Wars shrine. As much of a die-hard fan as I am, some of these characters I don't remember. So here it goes...

Yoda Vs. Darth Vader:
I am an extreme fan of both, but this is the epitome of Star Wars conflicts. We all want to know who would win. I personally see them both battling til their deaths. Only (George) Lucas can deem the true winner of this fight. DISAGREE!

Obi-Wan Kenobi Vs. Boba Fett:
The winner is obviously Obi-Wan. It would be too off the wall for Boba who is still grieving over his father's death, as a grown man, to so easily subdue Obi-Wan. AGREE!

Luke Vs. Anakin Skywalker:
Yet another obvious win. We've all seen the movies. Although Anakin's self-sacrifice to save his loved ones, only becomes his ultimate downfall. Either way you look at it, Anakin or Darth Vader, the end is the same. Luke prevails over his father. AGREE!

General Grievous Vs. Palpatine:
This is a tough match-up. The skill of Grievous meets the power & knowledge of Palpatine. I see Palpatine winning. However, they both have a human heart that can be destroyed. AGREE!

Padme Amidala Vs. Zam Wesell:
Tough fight! DISAGREE!

Speeder Bike Vs. Wookie Gnasp:
Although I prefer the Speeder Bike for appeal factor I think the Gnasp would destroy a Speeder lightning fast! The movies feature so many downfalls of the Speeder than they do the Gnasp. DISAGREE!

Jabba's Rancor Vs. Nexu:
Based on the stats these two are in a close tie. I think Nexu would kill Rancor in a flash. DISAGREE!

AT-Atwalker Vs. Clone Turbo Tank:
Not sure how two vehicles battle, but I would think the Clone Tank would win. The Walker has too many weak spots, most notably the tall, long legs. This was proven in the movies battle scenes. DISAGREE!

Darth Maul Vs. Kit Fisto:
Aside from Vader, Maul is my favorite Darth Sith. I wished that he could battle Kit Fisto, but in the end... DISAGREE!

Han Solo Vs. Jango Fett
Not a Han solo fan. AGREE!

Jedi Starfighter Vs. The Interceptor
I've been a fan of The Interceptor since I was a kid, and saw the movies. AGREE!

Jawa Vs. Ewok:
One of my top favorite creatures in the Star Wars saga is the Ewok. The Jawa are a weak civilization. Without weaponry they're useless. The Ewok without a doubt would win! AGREE!

Star Destroyer Vs. Trade Federation Battleship:
Star Destroyer is an easy win. Just attacking the center of the Battleship with one good shot, crashes the ship. AGREE!

Clone Trooper Vs. Stormtrooper:
Clone Trooper is another easy win. They were created to perfection. They clearly surpass the inadequate Stormtroopers. AGREE!

Bantha Vs. Reek:
The Bantha should win. They're more intelligent. In the end, I guess it would be a toss up based on endurance?! DISAGREE!

Millenium Falcon Vs. Sith Infiltrator:
The Falcon is more advanced than Darth Maul's Infiltrator. AGREE!

R2-D2 Vs. IG-88:
IG-88 is a more formidable opponent, sorry R2. :( AGREE!

Tie-Fighter Vs. Naboo N-1 Starfighter:
Although the Starfighter by appeal is cool, it is a weak ship. The Tie-fighter is an amazing piece of weaponry. AGREE!

Jabba the Hut Vs. Jar Jar Binks:
Poor Jar Jar. Obviously Jabba would win. Jar Jar is far too clumsy to win a battle one-on-one. AGREE!

X-wing Vs. Grievous Starfighter:
The X-wing is a way better fighter and has better flight equipment. It appears that the aircrafts from episodes 4-6 are better equipped. Which should be obvious since the engineering is more advanced. AGREE!

Acklay Vs. Boga:
Boga is cool. She is fast, viscious, and can climb. Acklay is more hesitant. AGREE!

AR-170 Vs. B-Wing:
Based on control, the Hull and firepower could easily take out it's opponent. AGREE!

Chewbacca Vs. Wampa:
Chewie is a fierce competitor, but this would have been a great showdown. AGREE!

Princess Leia Vs. Aurra Sing:
Undecided. I don't remember Aurra.

Bossk Vs. Droideka:
Droideka should win because of their defector shields Vs. Bossk's regrowth of limbs. DISAGREE!

Snowspeeder Vs. Attack Gunship:
The Snowspeeder is just badass in so many ways! AGREED!

Lando Calrissian Vs. Gamorrean Guard:
Lando is awesome! He's a smart & skillful fighter. The Gamorreans are idiotic swine- pun intended! AGREE!

Y-Wing Vs. Vulture Droid:
Y-Wing offers more weapons to better the fragility of the Vulture Droid. AGREE!

Magnaguard Droid Vs. Royal Guard:
Hands down easy decision. AGREE!

Gungan Vs. Tuskan Raider:
Jar Jar Binks, hello!!!!!! AGREE!

Animorphs: The Invasion by K.A. Applegate

2012-01-01T21:35:00.000-08:00

We can't tell you who we are. Or where we live. It's too risky, and we've got to be careful. But everyone is in danger. Yeah. Even you.

Sometimes weird things happen to people. Ask Jake. He could tell you about the night he and his friends saw a strange light in the sky that seemed to be heading right for them. That was the night five normal kids learned that humanity is under a silent attack-- and were given the power to fight back.

Now Jake. Rachel, Cassie, Tobias & Marco can transform into some of the most dangerous creatures on Earth. And they must use that power to outsmart and evil greater than anything the world has ever seen. ...

When Mandee from Scholastic sent me the catalog for 2011, I was shocked to see some of my all time favorite books on the list-- Animorphs. These wonderful children's books have been re-released with awesome new 3d images of the characters morphing into animals. So cool!! I immediately contacted her back with an excitement to return to the imaginative world of K.A. Applegate's morphing superheroes.

Even as an adult, reading this novel was a certain page turner. The chapters read so quickly and so easily that you CAN'T put it down! The thing that I enjoyed, and kids will enjoy, is the vivid description the author gives when the children morph into their animals. The battle scene with Visser Three was of epic proportions. This will captivate the young readers to read the next novel and stay interested in the story. The end of the story left hope for the Animorphs, and human kind, for a positive saga. These novels do more than just provide entertainment. There are so many life lessons that are expressed through the entirety of the story. A few of these lessons: determination, diversity, bullying, education.

Taken by the Others by Jess Haines

2012-01-01T21:16:00.000-08:00

Once, New York P.I. Shiarra Waynest's most pressing problem was keeping her agency afloat. Now, she's dealing with two dangerous, seductive vampires who have been enemies for centuries. The only thing Max Carlyle and Alec Royce agree on is that they both want Shia-- for very different reasons.

Max is determined to destroy Shia for killing his progeny, while Royce's interest is a lot more personal. That's not sitting well with Shia's werewolf boyfriend, Chaz. As the feud between Max and Royce gets even more deadly, a powerful vampire-hunting faction is urging Shia to join their side. Shia has always believed vamps were the bad guys, but she's discovering unexpected shades of grey that are about to redefine her friends, her loyalties-- and even her desires.

Where does this review begin? Well I suppose first I should thank Jess & her super assistant Binah, for sending me the book to review. After reading Hunted by the Others I knew I wanted to continue following Shia's story.

Taken had a very deepened foreboding undertone. Jess writes wish such a sassy humor that one can't afford to pass up her books. This is book two in the H&W Investigations series. I was happy to see a good portion of my favorite characters retrun, in addition to some new ones being introduced. However Chaz seemed like a distant character, for about a 1/3 of the novel, in this book more than he was in the first. Chaz & Shia's relationship is faulty. It appears that their relationship has become as much of a background as Chaz's character was as well. One begins hopeful for a new relationship between Shia & Alec. I think John's character as a traitor was a predictability that I saw from the beginning of the novel. I will be beginning Decieved by the Others in the New Year. I anticipate the release of books 4-6 in the H&W Investigations series.

Favorite quotes:
"It wasn't fair (for a vampire) to be rich, good looking, and smart, too. Two out of three wasn't bad, three for three was just plain unfair.

"...even though the visible scars fade, some emotional ones take a lot longer to heal."

Darkness, my friend by Lisa Unger

2011-12-31T17:10:00.000-08:00

"After giving up his post at the Hollows Police Department, Jones Cooper is at loose ends. He is having trouble facing a horrible event from his past and finding a second act. Then, on a brisk October morning, he has a visitor, Eloise Montgomery, the psychic who plays a key role in Fragile, comes to him with predictions about his future, some of them dire.

Meanwhile Michael Holt, a young man who grew up in the Hollows, has returned, lookig for answers about his mother, who went missing many years earlier. He has hired local PI Ray Muldune and psychic Eloise Montgomery to help him solve the mystery that has haunted him. What he finds might be his undoing.

Fifteen-year-old Willow Graves is exiled to The Hollows from Manhattan when six months earlier she moved to the quiet town with her novelist mother after a bitter divorce. Willow is acting out, spending time with kids that bring out the worst in her. And when things get hard, she has a tendency to run away-- a predilection that might lead her to dark place.

Set in The Hollows, the backdrop of Fragile, this is the riveting story of lives set on a collision course with devastating consequences. The result is Lisa Unger's most compelling fiction to date.

Darkness was a novel that Lisa's publicist had directly contacted me to review for. This was the second novel she requested me to review, thankfully it wasn't as tragic as the first.

I am unfamiliar with Lisa's previous novels, but it appears this is possibly a sequel to another published work. This was a combination of crime, suspense and slightly a psycho thriller. I was not truly captivated by the book until about chapter 15. The story was overwhelming up to this point, as chapter 15 arrived things began to clear up and I was able to sort the pieces and recount the prior pages into an organized one, for myself. I really got into the story of each character towards the end of the novel. It was such a gritty, dark story.

My favorite quotes:
"Surely you see that spending, your life fearing death is a death in and of itself."

""...suspense is for people with small vocabularies..."

"When did it become a badge of honor to be too busy, to have too much to do?"

"You might be in New York City. You might be in The Hollows. You might be on the moon. But you'll always be,(Willow). When you can be happy there, you'll be happy any where."

"Be yourself? Do your best? How could that be true for every one? Not everyone was nice and kind, talented, pretty, intelligent. Sometimes your best was not good enough to achieve what you wanted. What happened then? Were you just stuck with yourself, your life just whatever sad product of your "best" effort?

Updates

2011-11-16T00:08:00.000-08:00

Hey Follower's:
I am excited to see a few new Follower's have joined the blog. I have also added the "Books I've Read" page. I will be adding to this list as I burn through my reviews. I have also added the "2012 YA Debut Author Challenge" page. For those of you who followed me in 2010 you know that I was a part of the Story Siren's challenge. I won't bore you with details, but this is the current year challenge and I am excited to immerse myself into some great debut author's novels. The last page that I have added is the "2012 Debut Author Fiction Challenge." This is much like the YA challenge, but focuses solely on the fiction of adult aged novels. See the page for further details. I will be adding my lists of debut novels asap. Best wishes. Keep up the reading!!!
xoxo

Mike McCarty Interview

2011-09-15T21:43:00.000-07:00

In your novel, Liquid Diet and Midnight Snack (Whiskey Creek Publishing), it features a right-wing religious organization. Although they may be fictional, some religious groups frown upon the horror genre. What was your intent on this inclusion?

Michael McCarty: The Opposition to the Occult is a fictional organization (thank God), but they represent different groups who have targeted horror, heavy metal music, gay marriage, different religions and different cultures – anything that is outside the norm.

Your novels have been printed through various publishers. Do any of those publishers stand out in any specific way?

McCarty: My favorite so far are: Wildside Press (who have published Giants of the Genre, More Giants of the Genre and Dark Duets), Damnation Books (who have published A Hell of A Job and Partners in Slime), Whiskey Creek Publishing (who have published Liquid Diet), Sam’s Dot Publishing (who have published Little Creatures, A Little Help From My Fiends and Rusty the Robot’s Holiday Adventures), BearManor Media (who have published Esoteria-Land, Masters of Imagination and Modern Mythmakers), Medallion Books (who will be publishing Monster Behind The Wheel) and McFarland & Company (who published the first edition of Modern Mythmakers). I also enjoyed Delirium Books & Corrosion Press too.

We have a mutual friend, Joe McKinney. What was it like to work with him?

McCarty: I really enjoy working with Joe, he is a very hard working writer and is very imaginative, full of so many ideas and directions; it is a delight collaborating with him. Joe and I are both members of the Horror Writers Association and that is how we met.

When I was putting together my short story collection A Little Help From My Fiends, I asked Joe to write the afterword, which he wrote a great one for the book.

Joe asked me to look at a manuscript he was working on and asked if I wanted to collaborate, the project eventually became the novella Lost Girl Of The Lake, which is one of my best pieces of long fiction. It is set the early 1960s and has as many twists and turns as a rattlesnake slithering across a hot highway does. The book is set to release early 2012 from Bad Moon Books.

Joe and I just finished another novella called Terror Of Bristol Plains for the anthology Before Plan 9: Plans 1-8 from Outer Space.

Do you have any horror mythos that you haven't written about? If so do you plan on doing so?

McCarty: I’ve written about vampires in Liquid Diet and Midnight Snack and Bloodless (with Jody LaGreca) -- a novel I am currently shopping around and all the short story collections. I’ve written about werewolves. I’ve written about robots for the kid’s book Rusty the Robot’s Holiday Adventures with Sherry Decker. I’ve written about zombies with Mark McLaughlin with Monster Behind The Wheel. I’ve written about ghost with Amy Grech with Fallen Angel.

I’d like to write more about vampires because they are my favorite and zombies too. As for something I’ve never written about before, I’d love to write a book about Frankenstein’s monster, I have some ideas and might tackle that someday.

A comedian, a musician, a managing editor. Those are just a few of your previous jobs. So what made you pursue such a (successful) career as an author?

McCarty: Actually I have been writing since 1973. I sold my first newspaper article in 1983. I sold my first national magazine article in 1993. My first book was published in 2003. I did all the other things such as stand-up comedian, musician and editor between my writing gigs.

What can you tell us about Monster Behind The Wheel the novel you co-written with Mark McLaughlin and going to get published by Medallion Press?

McCarty: The automobile is the most dangerous weapon in our society. Cars kill more people than wars do. More than 50,000 people will die this year in car accidents. Monster Behind The Wheel tells the story of Jeremy Carmichael. During his childhood he falls from a Ferris wheel, landing on and killing a beautiful woman. Years later, as a young man, he is involved in a horrific car crash. Soon he finds himself transported between the worlds of the living and the dead on an all-too-regular basis. Jeremy strikes a bargain with an older woman and purchases her car (a 1970 Barracuda), exchanging sexual favors in returned for a reduced payment plan. Then, all hell breaks loose – literally. We learn the shocking aftermath of that long-ago fall from the Ferris wheel.

This novel is a surreal helter-skelter ride of humor, lust, thrills and gut-wrenching horror and oil changes (laughs). I hope the readers will enjoy it. It took five years for Mark and I to finish this novel.

Sounds like an interesting book. How would you describe your protagonist Jeremy Carmichael from Monster Behind The Wheel in 10 words or less?

McCarty: He’s a young man desperate to outrace his own demons.

Why did you choose a 1970 Barracuda as the haunted car?

McCarty: Another great question. The 1970 Barracuda was completely restyled and re-engineered. It was considered then and remains to this day one of the finest muscle cars design from Chrysler. The high performance ‘Cuda model came standard 426 Hemi engine. The car also had the shaker hoodscope that sat atop the 426 six-barrel. It was, and still is, a real monster on the road. It could eat Christine for breakfast.

You have the same name as the acclaimed horror special effects artist, Mike McCarty. Has anyone ever confused you two?

McCarty: Oh yes, it happens from time to time. I met Mike at the World Horror Convention in Burbank, California when Monster Behind The Wheel was up for Best First Novel at the Bram Stokers. I wish I took a photo of the two of us, we will probably crossed paths again someday. I’m a big fan of Mike’s work. He is a very talented special effects guy and enjoy seeing is work.

What novels do you enjoy reading? If any?

McCarty: I am a book nerd, so I am also reading a ton of books. Currently I’m reading Bentley Little’s His Father’s Son, I also picked up his book The Disappearance (which I plan to read next, I am a big fan of Bentley Little). I interviewed Bentley in Modern Mythmakers and he wrote the introduction to my book Dark Duets.

I am also re-reading Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451: The 50th Anniversary Edition; I haven’t read this book since high school and am glad I am reading it again. I interviewed Ray for two of my books Masters of Imagination and Modern Mythmakers.

I am also reading Joe McKinney’s Flesh Eaters. I read the other two books in his zombie series Dead City and Apocalypse of the Dead which I really enjoyed both. He’s cranking the zombie books out faster than I can read them.

What about movies?

McCarty: I really want to see that remake of Fright Night. Recent genre movies I saw include Rise of the Planet of the Apes (which was great) and Cowboy & Aliens (which was okay) – I saw both of them at a drive-in this summer. My wife and I enjoyed the third season of TrueBlood. We also really enjoyed the last season of Futurama. I am looking forward to season two of Walking Dead. Other movies I enjoyed this year Paul. I also enjoyed the comedies Cedar Rapids, Hang Over 2 and Horrible Bosses.

If one of your novels was turned into a movie, which would you choose. Why?

McCarty: That’s a great question, but a tough one to answer. I always write in a very visual style, so all my novels would make great movies. But if I had to choose just one, I’d say Liquid Diet because vampires are so popular right now and there is a lot of humor in the book and the novel does feature cameos by real life people like The Amazing Kreskin, Joe Hill, Chris Alexander (the editor of Fangoria) – it would be fun to have them appear in a film version of the book.

The novel is set in Chicago, which is a very visually interesting city, and plot-wise it there is a lot of action adventure and biting in it, so that would also make great cinema.

Last words?

Thank you Steven Foley for a great interview. If people are interested in getting my books, here are some links they can go to get most of them:
Most of my books can be found at:

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001JS0L06

Liquid Diet & Midnight Snack:
http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/torrid/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=606&zenid=3e4bb3f047f5949991dc72a0776ce3f3

Monster Behind The Wheel:
http://www.medallionpress.com/authors/mcCarty.php

Rusty the Robot’s Holiday Adventures:
http://sdpbookstore.com/storybooks.htm

Sam’s Dot Publishing:
http://sdpbookstore.com/anthologies.htm

Other Social Media:
Facebook
http://www.face-book.com/profile.php?id=1158897579

Good Reads
http://www.goodreads.com/michaelmccarty

MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/monsterbook

Blog
http://cafehorror.ning.com/profile/MichaelMcCarty

Goosebumps Horror Land: Claws by R.L. Stine

2011-09-13T04:14:00.000-07:00

ME! OW!!!

Mickey is put in charge of his vacationing neighbors' cat, Bella. His best friend, Amanda, comes along to help out. All they have to do is make sure Bella has enough to ear and doesn't destroy the furniture. Seems simple enough. But Bella escapes from the house and is hit by a truck. Mickey feels awful. What is he going to do? Amanda has an idea to replace the cat with a look-alike from the local pet store, Cat Heaven. They find a cat that looks exactly like Bella, but the clerk won't sell it to them, so they decide to steal it. Big mistake! These cats are more than what they seem to be...

This was another ARC I received from my friend Mandee at Scholastic Publisher's. My first thought when I saw the title of this book on the catalog I was sent, was the recollection of reading R.L. Stine when I was a child. It brought back some great memories and rekindled my love for the author's creative tales of scary stories for children.

Goosebumps Horror Land is a new collection of stories from R.L. Stine. In the beginning of the story there is The Storykeeper. He collects the stories of children from Horror Land and retells them for the reader's pleasure. I think that this is a unique way to inspire children's passion for all things horror.

Chapter one introduced the main characters and set the pace for the entire novel, in only a matter of two pages. The main characters are Mickey and his best friend Amanda. I believe that R.L. Stine has significantly portrayed the friendship of two young children in a very realistic way. This is something that will help any child reading this feel that it is relevant to themselves. Another thing that is great for the reader is at the end of each chapter they are all cliffhangers. This suspense keeps them eager to continue the story.

On the downside of the novel, I was confused at how Mickey supposedly always got along well with cats. It appeared, from my perspective, that he never once got along with any cat! The ending felt like the author simply ran out of energy. It just appeared to be too simplistic of an ending, almost as if his muse disappeared.

Amber Kizer Interview

2011-09-06T00:49:00.000-07:00

What inspired you to become a writer?
My freshman year of college I developed a rare nerve disorder in my legs. You can’t tell by looking, but I deal with a ton of whacky and weird symptoms including really tough pain on a daily basis. So I had to change my plans and figure out how to have a career that was flexible and didn’t rely heavily on my legs cooperating on a schedule.

I took a friend’s writing workshop and by the end had a story idea I wanted to keep working on, the first manuscript was born! Then it’s about studying the craft and practicing it like an Olympic athlete or a concert pianist. It’s not easy, it takes discipline and determination to be a published author. It takes writing when you can’t even remember how to spell “Muse.”

How long have you been writing for?
I started working on ONE BUTT CHEEK AT A TIME in 2005 and it was published in 2007 by Delacorte Press/Random House. The second in the series, which actually stands alone too, is coming out in April 2011 and it called 7 KINDS OF ORDINARY CATASTROPHES.

Of your work, which is your favorite, or that you hold dear for one reason or another?
At the time I'm writing a book that is my favorite book. You have to remember that authors are working on books that readers will see in 1-3 years. Right now I'm writing a survival odyssey called ECHOES OF 1492 and it's my favorite. I absolutely adore Gert Garibaldi's voice (ONE BUTT CHEEK and 7 KINDS)--she's a hoot to write. But I also love dealing with the taboos and mythology around death like in the Fenestra series of MERIDIAN and WILDCAT FIREFLIES (July 12 2011). There's something I love about all of them. I wouldn't want to give readers a story I didn't love--what's the point of that? :)

As an author who is your favorite to read from?
I read 20-25 books concurrently—like other people change channels on the remote. Readers who are interested can keep up with me on Goodreads, Facebook or by joining my email list at www.MeridianSozu.com, I recommend my faves for the month in my newsletter. Overall favorites include Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Margaret Atwood, Jude Deveraux, Nora Roberts, Stephen King...I read just about anything but math theory and computer programming--everything else is fair game!

What is your favorite genre?
I grew up in a house full of books and love of story, but it wasn't until I found romances in seventh grade that I really fell in love with stories. So they will always hold a special place in my heart--I am a sap for happy endings! But YA is amazing in the last five years--it's exploded, there is something for everyone in that section and adults who don't read in it are missing a ton.

What do you like to do in your spare time? Writing isn't an answer! :)
I'm a huge college basketball fan--so there's that. I love reality TV--the trashier the better. I do a lot of gardening (when my legs cooperate). I quilt. Make cakes and lots of yummy desserts for friends. I spend time with the dog, cats, chickens and wildlife of the area. Spending time with family and friends is a priority even though they know when I'm working I tend to disappear for weeks or months. There is never enough time in the day to explore all the amazing adventures in the world.

Have you ever collaborated with another author? Or plan too?
I have a critique partner and we work each other's writing. I don't have a plan to collaborate officially with an author, I wouldn't rule it out though!

Do you have any pen name(s)? If so, why do you choose to use a pen name?
Nope, I write under my own name!

Any words of wisdom for your fans and readers?
I want to thank readers for their enthusiasm and heart. You guys rock! More questions and answers can be found at my websites: www.amberkizer.com, onebuttcheek.com and meridiansozu.com. Be sure to sign up for my newsletter--I'll be sending out a sneak peek to my fans via there and Facebook in February.

I think the one piece of wisdom I have worth sharing is to not limit yourself to the books and stories you're willing to try reading. You never know what will connect with you on an emotional level. Some of the best books I've ever read I picked up in an airport (I love book buying in airports!) because I was just browsing and open to reading anything that struck my fancy. So when people say "I don't like this genre" or "I only read this" I feel bad for them because there are amazing stories--both made up and true in our world and they'll miss them!

Thanks very much for having me! Happy reading! Amber

Leah Cypess Interview

2011-09-06T00:39:00.000-07:00

What inspired you to become a writer?
Hard to say, since I've wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember. I don't remember deciding - it feels like I always knew.

How long have you been writing for?
I have a copy of my first short story, which I wrote when I was in first grade (it was told from the point of view of an ice cream cone). I began writing what I thought of as my first "book" when I was in third grade. And when I was 15, I finished the first book that I thought was publishable (I was wrong).

As an author who is your favorite to read from?
I can't possibly pick a favorite! But of the books I read this past month (yes, that's about as far as I can take it) my favorites were WHISPER by Phoebe Kitanidis and MOCKINGJAY by Suzanne Collins.

What is your favorite genre?
Fantasy. (See, *that* one was easy.)

What do you like to do in your spare time? Writing isn't an answer! :)
Is "I don't have spare time" an answer? ;) Reading, obviously; but I also really love biking, and I don't get to do it as often as I like. I live near some great biking/walking trails in Boston, one of which takes me along a creek, past two lakes, and to the Arboretum. With occasional scatterings of wild geese along the way.

Have you ever collaborated with another author? Or plan too?
My cousin and I used to try and write joint books when we were in high school. None of them ever came to anything. However, we once wrote down 100 "first lines" for stories, and tried to each write a story starting from the same first line. The story I wrote for that exercise ended up being the first story I got professionally published. (It was called Temple of Stone, and you can read it for free on my website!)

Do you have any pen name(s)? If so, why do you choose to use a pen name?
I don't.

Any words of wisdom for your fans and readers?
Don't give up on your dream, but at the same time be flexible about it. For writers specifically, this translates into not letting rejection get you down - but also being ready to move on to another manuscript if the first one isn't going anywhere.

Thanks!

Shawna Yang Ryan Interview

2011-09-06T00:26:00.000-07:00

Did the inspiration of Water Ghosts come from your ethnic background? Or was that just a portion of it?
--I was interested in exploring Chinese American history, but my interest in exploring local history was more of an inspiration for Water Ghosts. I grew up in Sacramento, but I knew very little about its history, or the role the Chinese played. The wonderful thing about fiction writing is that it's an opportunity to research topics I'm curious about and then apply what I've discovered.

Water Ghosts is your debut novel? Do you plan on writing any further novels?
--Water Ghosts is my first novel. I have about 4 other novels floating around in my head, two others in drawers (ok,well, laptop files) and one on paper, halfway through. So the answer is yes!

With its US success, how has the novel faired overseas?
--Water Ghosts has been published in New Zealand/Australia by Pier 9, and in Israel by Modan. The reception has been kind, but I am curious about the connection readers may feel to a story set so far away in time and place.

Originally Water Ghosts was published as Locke 1928. What is the significance of the novel's name change?
--Locke 1928 referred to the name of the town where the story is set--Locke. But outside of Northern California, Locke is not that well known. The new title--which came when Penguin picked it up from the original small press--reflects a different aspect of the book--the more supernatural elements--the water ghosts.

The way you wrote Water Ghosts is different than any book I have ever read. Why did you choose to write the character conversations without using the usual quotation marks? Was this a form of creativity? Or something else?
--The style of the book is very moody--a lot of the scene transitions follow an emotional logic. I thought this would help the reader feel more intimate with the characters. To go along with that, I didn't use quotation marks in dialogue because it gives a quieter feel to the words, like the characters are whispering in your ear. At least I hope! But rest assured, my next book definitely uses quotation marks!

The brief glimpses into homosexuality with both male and female characters; was this from the Asian culture point-of-view, author view, or a personal one?
--That's an interesting question. I was reacting in part to what I felt was the pigeon-holing of non-white ethnic writers, which I read as being: "If you are a person of color, you must write about color!" I wanted to show the complexity of my characters beyond race and culture, so I also touched on sexuality. I also think you can't write about the immigration laws, which were so sex-focused, and the old Chinese bachelor communities without writing about sex.

What was the importance for you on the tales you included into this story?
--Fairy tales from any culture are so fascinating in that they really offer a window into cultural values. So I included some of the Chinese ghost stories--but I also included them to underline the ghost story I was trying to tell, and just because I found them fun.

In clarification the "ghosts" in the story, were they of a mental of physical presence.
--Ooh! I'll have to leave that up to the reader to decide! ;)

Priscilla Cummings Interview

2011-09-06T00:17:00.000-07:00

What made you want to write a novel about blind adolescents, Blindsided?
I was invited to speak at The Maryland School for the Blind some years ago and was so impressed by the teenagers, especially. I was surprised because many of them were just regular teens with a great sense of humor despite their situation. Also, before I left, a student gave me a poem he had written about being blind. Driving home that day, I vowed I would return to do a story about those kids.

You've written both children and young adult novels. Have you thought of expanding to adult novels?
I’ve thought about it, sure. I have written short stories for adults. But I’m quite happy writing for young adults these days. I had a bad middle school experience so maybe part of my psyche is stuck there . . .

On your website, your author info speaks of keeping a diary and having over twenty pen pals. Was that where your love for writing began? Or was that just a growth of it?
I have always loved reading and writing stories, from the time I was four and five years old. I was one of those kids stapling paper together to make a little book then drawing pictures and scribbling out the words I didn’t yet know how to write to tell my stories.

Both you and I have cats named Romeo! That's a cool coincidence. Animals must be a huge inspiration for your novels?
Oh, my gosh, I love animals. I grew up on a farm and had many, many pets growing up including my beloved palomino, Goldenboy. These days I have a chocolate lab named Sophie and two cats, Shoog and Romeo,both of whom actually belong to my daughter who is away at college. While she’s gone they’re mine, all mine, and sometimes I call Romeo, Mr. Romeow. He is a Maine Coon cat and quite the lover.

With writers as parents, do your children enjoy writing as much as the rest of the family does?
No, they don’t. But they have other talents.

When writer's block hits, how do you overcome it?
First, I try to just write something – anything – and hope that gets me started. If that fails, then I turn off the computer and read for a couple days. I find that reading unlocks my own creativity.

As you work on your stories do you chose the pen & paper method, typewriter, or pc?
Computer

Your novel What Mr. Mattero Did has a very serious subject matter. Was this written for a fictional education, or a different reason?
The story was inspired by an unfortunate situation in Maryland some years ago. While accusations, such as the ones made by the seventh grade girls in my story, must always be taken seriously, I wanted to write a story that showed both sides of the issue. What happens when a middle schooler makes up a story about a teacher? And what happens to that teacher and his or her family?

Before Blindsided, you spent many months with blind people (teenagers and adults). What did you learn the most from that experience?
I learned so much in those months when I was visiting the Maryland School for the Blind that I don’t think I could ever point to just one thing. But for sure, I discovered that many of those young people are just kids who happen to have a vision problem. They don’t want to be different. They don’t want to be treated different. They just want a life -- a job, a boyfriend or girlfriend, a place of their own. They want to be happy.

With Blindsided being written about blind people, was the novel published in Braille as well, for the people in reality who could most enjoy it?
The novel is currently being made into Braille by both the state of Maryland and The Library of Congress’ National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.

Tim Lebbon Interview

2011-09-06T00:03:00.000-07:00

1) You have quite a collection of works published. Which one was the hardest to get published? The easiest?
Nothing's easy to get published. I guess I'm pretty lucky now in that most of what I write is to commission, but I still get rejections, and am still delighted whenever I receive an acceptance for something.

2) What was is like for you when you got your first book to film deal?
First time I had something optioned I thought, 'This is it, buy a house and a car and never have to worry again!' I've now gone through about fifteen options, and have quickly learnt that it's just the first step in a long process. There's always a chance that something optioned will make it to the screen, but the chance is usually small, and there are any number of obstacles in the way.

There are several film projects that are now looking more and more likely to be made, but I prefer not to say too much until they hit the screen!

3) You have an upcoming series of novels with Christopher Golden, The Secret Journeys of Jack London. Can you tell us more on them?
We're retelling Jack London's most famous works with him as the main character, and with the supernatural as a big part of the story ... the set-up is that he lived through these tales, but they were so challenging and traumatising that he could not face writing them as biography. So he changed details, and wrote them as fiction, and we're telling his Secret Journeys. We're just about to deliver Book 2, and we're having a huge amount of fun. Fox have acquired the movie rights, and Chris and I have been hired to write the screenplay.

4) As a big fan of Twilight, that I am, I found the picture on your site hysterical. Who knew bestiality and necrophilia could be so popular?
Don't knock it til you've tried it.

5) As you write, do you work on one piece at a time or multiple novels?
Usually I'm working on a novel of my own, a collaboration with Chris Golden, and proposals for future novels or screenplays. I've always got several projects at various stages, and - depending on deadlines - I'm able to drop onto a screenplay if I'm having a bit of trouble with a novel, or vice versa. I like being busy.

6) Who are your favorite horror/fantasy authors?
Wow, what a question. King, Simmons, Machen, Blackwood, Hodgson, Lansdale, Straub, Connolly, Golden, Banks, Clarke, Erikson, Carroll, Barker, Smith, Chadbourn, and a thousand others.

7) Can you remember your first horror movie?
It was a TV show actually, Beasts by Nigel Kneale. The episode was called Baby, and was utterly terrifying.

8) Are you reading any novels currently?
The Ocean Dark by Jack Rogan. A great supernatural thriller debut ... he's going to be huge.

9) What do you think makes so many people interested in horror? Sense of thrill? Sheer curiousity?
Fascination with the dark side, death, bad things. Escapism. A good story.

10) What three things do you need while you write?
Solitude, music, coffee.

The Vampire Stalker by Alison Van Diepen

2011-07-13T12:12:00.000-07:00

"Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction."

Amy is in love with Alexander Banks, a brooding handsome vampire hunter. There's just one problem: He doesn't exist. Alexander is the hero of a series of popular novels, and Amy has breathlessly followed all his fictional adventures.
Then, late one night, fiction becomes reality.
Amy meets a boy who bears an eerie resemblance to Alexander Banks. In fact, he is Alexander, come to life from the pages of her book. And he's in hot pursuit of Vigo, the ruthless vampire who has croassed over into Amy's city. As Amy struggles to unravel the mystery behind Alexander
srrival, she must help him track down Vigo before too msny lives are at risk. But attraction, danger, and dark secrets collide, leaving Amy to wonder if the greatest thing at stake ...is her heart.

Firstly I would like to thank my friend Mandee at Scholastic for providing me with the future catalog of novels, without it I would have never been able to ask her for this book to review. Within a very quick and short amount of time for my original inquiry, The Vampire Stalker arrived along with 11 other ARC's.

I was originally drawn to this novel because of the vampire fiction. It wasn't until I actually received the book did I find that the author is also a teacher. So not only can I relate to the teacher aspect, but also the language arts as well.

I was captivated immediately from the beginning. It encouraged the reader to go on further than chapter one. This story had the interesting concept of a book- in a book. Amy, the lead female character, reads a series of books that essentially comes to life. She goes from being engrossed into the story she reads to actually being a part of the story! A past era of Chicago is ruled by vampires in the story Amy reads. When that story comes to life she fights for her own survival with the aid of her handsome and charming hero from her novel, Alexander.

I was a bit...meh...~~shocked~~...um...what's the word? Well...anyways Mrs. P's character reminded me SO much of Giles (No need to include who he is since everyone in the vampire fiction knows.) but maybe a more mild version? There was one scene that I found to be one of the most intense of the novel and that was during the Club Teen Scene- scene. This was the point of the story I felt that caused that much needed climax to not only keep the reader's attention but also keep them on the edge of their seat in anticipation.

During Chapter 19 the introduction was so thoroughly predictable but that I began to get frustrated with the book. However just as my anger began to bubble it quickly subsided when the author remedied the situations she was writing about. This my friends is what a true book should be. A book that causes anticipation. A book that causes eagerness. A book that causes anger, hostility and frustration. A book that causes deep emotions, because really; who wants to read a book that provokes no emotions?

Favorite Quotes:
"How sad that I feel more of a connection to a fictional character than to a guy in real life." - Amy

"Now that I know what it is to love, I won't feel my life has been wasted." - Alexander

"There is violence in a vampire's blood...I believe that we are capable of evolution, but it will take time. It would be a mistake to forget our nature." - I forget who this was. I think it was Hannah who said this ??

Jess Haines Giveaway July 15, 2011

2011-06-27T20:56:00.000-07:00

Dearest Vampires and Vampirettes,
On July 15, 2011 the talented Jess Haines will be posting a guest blog on here. On behalf of her and myself I want to run a giveaway of her upcoming(new) novel, Deceived by the Others. The rules are simple. See below. :)

The rules:
1.) Become a follower on this blog. That means you need to make an official FOLLOWER account with an ACTIVE username (and not just one that says anonymous).

2.) Become a Fan of Steven's Cybrary on Facebook, and also send me a private message to my inbox on the FACEBOOK fan page with your name, email and ACTIVE Steven's Cybrary FOLLOWER username. This will ensure that I can contact the winner!

Then on July 16, I will select a random name from a hat, every Follower will be entered, unless your name is ANONYMOUS. The winner chosen will then be posted on both the Steven's Cybrary blog & Steven's Cybrary fan page on Facebook. Good luck and don't forget to thank Jess Haines for this inspiration!
xoxo

Steven's Cybrary Facebook Fan Page:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1785958316

Jess Haines Websites:
www.jesshaines.com

Jess Haines Guest Blog Day!

2011-06-24T22:47:00.000-07:00

Hey Followers! Well July 15 will be an exciting day. I will be having an exceptional author, Jess Haines, as a guest blogger on here! I am excited to see what she has to say. You may remember her from the previous review I did for her novel, Hunted By The Others. Jess & her assistant Binah will be sending me Taken By The Others (In stores now), Deceived By The Others (July 5 in stores)and The Real Werewives of Vampire County (In stores Oct 2011). I will be hosting a Jess Haines giveaway as well. I will be giving away Hunted by the Others, Taken by the Others and Decieved by the Others to three lucky individuals. I will make a seperate post for the giveaway information. For now, you can view Jess's website at

www.jesshaines.com

Bound By Night by Amanda Ashley

2011-06-12T01:26:00.000-07:00

Bound By Night

A VAMPIRE'S KISS IS FOREVER

Once featured in a horror movie, the crumbling Wolfram estate is said to be haunted by ghosts, witches, and worse. But Elena doesn't believe a word of it-- until she spends the night and wakes up in the arms of a compelling stranger...

Tall, dark, and disturbingly handsome, Drake is the most beautiful man Elena has ever seen. For centuries, he has lived alone, and Elena is the first woman to enter his lair-- and survive. And Drake is the first man to touch her heart and soul. By the time she discovers who he really is-- and what he craves-- it's too late. Blood lust has turned to love, and Elena is deeply under Drake's spell. But forever comes at a price for each of them...

I was contacted by Mandy to do this review for her. I couldn't have been more happier than to do another Amanda Ashley review since it's been awhile from the last one I've done. Mandy sent me an autographed ARC of Bound by Night, autographed bookmarks & book covers of Bound by Night & Bound by Blood. It was an extreme honor as always that she took the time to think of me, a lonely blogger in his hectic schooling. This was a welcomed relief from studies...

So this is my fifth book review for Amanda Ashley. While this wasn't my favorite, my favorite being A Darker Dream, it was at the top of the books I've done for her that has held me so emotionally rapt. Many of the happenings in this novel were so realistic that I couldn't help feeling the full spectrum of emotions carried throughout the novel.

As I have said before in my previous posts, I always write down my notes as I read the book so I can reflect when I finish it. This novel had one and one half a page worth of notes. At some point close to the end of the novel my first page mysteriously disappeared. I cleaned my entire bedroom in seek of this one piece of paper. Much to no avail I never did find it.

One thing that stood out for me with this book is the new vampire lore features Mandy included. One of those features is sheep and I don't mean the cute little farm animals. I mean the human kind that vampires would "farm" in order of maintaining their appetite for blood. I have never read or seen of this in any other vampire movie or book, and trust me I've been through enough! The other feature is that of the aging process of humans living off of vampire blood. It's sort of like a vampiric blood "Fountain of Glory."

Another thing that I immediately picked up on was the use of the names Elena and Cullin. I know that Mandy is a hard-core fan of both Twilight & The Vampire Diaries. I am wondering if Elena wasn't inspired by The Vampire Diaries, and Cullin (different spelling) from Twilight? Or is it just merely a coincidence?!

I found it extremely hard to not jump ahead and find out what happened. Although what I didn't find hard was just how much I despised Tavian Dinescu's character. In all of the books read for Mandy, I have never had a monster mortal or immortal in them that has caused me such intense disgust for. I found myself way more aggravated and upset with a fictional character than I ever have been in any reading from any author to date.

In chapter 20 I did begin to become frustrated with the events going on. I think they could have been played out drastically different, then again I am not Amanda and these are not my characters. On page 193 I was a little confused at how one character was said to be reading books but then it went on to say movies with no mention of movies prior to that? I think this is possibly an editing error, or I am simply not understanding how the author was trying to state this specific scene?!

If it weren't my prior knowledge to knowing how Mandy writes her books I would have been extremely upset, as a potential new reader, on how the novel ended. Thankfully for me, I can appreciate the way that Mandy doesn't do sequels, more like spin-offs. With that being said, I anticipate Bound By Night being in stores for sale in September 2011 for Mandy. I also can't wait for Kaitlyn's story that will be in stores October 4, 2011, the title Bound By Blood.

Thank you once again Mandy for the pleasure of these gifts, this review, your continued friendship and support. Best wishes and all my love.

xoxo

Upcoming ARC's

2011-05-31T13:13:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! I wanted to give you another wonderful update. Mandee a lovely person at Scholastic publishers has forwarded (Is that even a word?) my request for The Wolves of Mercy Falls: Forever - Maggie Stiefvater. She informed me they will be shipping the ARC's out very soon. I am crossing my fingers that my name is on the list. I am so excited to finish the trilogy. I absolutely adored Shiver & Linger.

She also sent me a link to their online catalog of upcoming novels for the summer. This is a list of the items I sent to request for reviews:

Goosebumps: Hall of Horrors #1- Claws!
Goosebumps: Hall of Horrors #2- Night of the Giant Everything
Goosebumps: Hall of Horrors #3- The Five Masks of Dr. Screem
Goosebumps: Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes
Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium
Goosebumps: Vampire Breath (All Goosebumps by R.L. Stine)

Animorphs: The Invasion -- K.A. Applegate
Animorphs: Visitor -- K.A. Applegate
Animorphs: The Encounter -- K.A. Applegate

Star Wars: Head to Head Tag Teams -- Pablo Hidaldo

Ravenwood -- Andrew Fusek Peters

The Vampire's Promise -- Caroline B. Cooney

The Vampire Stalker -- Allison Van Diepen

xoxo

Joe McKinney Interview

2011-05-31T06:54:00.000-07:00

Last year I contacted Joe regarding his novel, Dead City. Horror is my favorite genre we all know this. Although vampire fiction holds my heart (pun intended) Joe's zombie novel was so compelling I couldn't resist the urge to do a review. Thankfully he obliged and actually sent me another novel as well with a compilation of zombie short stories, Dead Set. He has also submitted to my intense gruelling interview (LOL!).

You have co-written with another author? What are your thoughts on that?

That’s right, I co-wrote my upcoming novel, LOST GIRL OF THE LAKE, with Michael McCarty, and I had a great time with it. The project developed out of a coming of age story I wrote a few years back. When the first draft was done, I had about 80 pages of pretty good horror…but something was missing. I’d read through it, try to fix it, but it just never came out right. By the time I was fed up with messing with it, I had 120 pages of a story that just didn’t seem to be going anywhere. Around the same time I started corresponding with Michael McCarty. I knew Michael had collaborated on a number of projects with other writers, and so I asked him if he’d like to take a look at LOST GIRL. As it turned out, he was between projects, and agreed. He came back to me with a great angle on the story, and I realized that he had hit on that certain thing that had been eluding me about the story. We started trading the manuscript back and forth. Next thing you know, we had a really great take on the coming of age story…and a full-sized novel. We sent it off to Bad Moon Books, and they loved it. Michael and I are currently working on another collaborative project, this one about meth zombies in the abandoned Midwest of near future America.

Do you feel working as a homicide detective was a direct influence to your sci-fi and horror writtings?

Absolutely. I think every horror writer is going to need the police sooner or later. I mean, you can’t have a barn full of dead people without the police showing up, you know? So being a cop has given me a great deal of confidence to handle those types of scenes in my writing. And of course a general knowledge of police procedure is valuable in a number of other ways too. But more to the point of your question, I think being a cop has given my writing a thematic focus. You see, most supernatural horror is intensely private. That means that whatever supernatural thing is going on usually happens to only one person, or at a minimum to a small group of people, within the world of the story. That tight focus is necessary to create the tension on which horror feeds. Cops, by their very nature, are public agents. When a cop describes an incident in a report, that incident takes on a public personality. It becomes a matter of public record, available to all through the Freedom of Information Act. It gains credibility, in other words. The cops’ role in horror fiction has always been strained as a result. Think back on all the horror books you’ve read. Nearly all of them have to bring in the police at some point, and then figure out how to get rid of them because making the incident that is at the heart of their horror story a matter public would make it a little more ordinary, and therefore less scary. What I bring to horror is a dose of reality when it comes to police procedure, and hopefully a new take on how to use the cop’s official function in our society as a third column in fiction.

Did the author aspect of your life come about as a hobby? Or did you just want to pursue a new endeavor?

Like a lot of writers, I started writing fairly young. I think I was in my early teens, probably around 12 or 13. I used to write stories on loose leaf notebook paper, staple them together, and leave them on the corner of my desk for a week or two before throwing them away. I never really thought about writing as something I could do for a living. It was always just a hobby. Being a cop, that was my career.

And then, a few years back, my oldest daughter was born. I remember feeling this panicked need to freeze time, to capture who I was at that moment. I don’t know if any of the parents out there can relate to that, but for me, looking in on my new daughter in the nursery, my mind reeling from all the new responsibilities I was under, I felt like I had to express once and for all who I was at that moment in time.

I got lucky enough to sell my first novel to a major New York publisher. After that, the little hobby that I used to do whenever the mood struck me became the job that I did every chance I got.

You have quite a collection of novels, novellas, and short stories. Which of those do you find come easier to write about?

Well, I don’t know if any one of those genres come easier than any other. At least, not for me. Though I can tell you that my favorite form to write is the novella, or short novel. I am really comfortable in the 10,000 to 30,000 word range. It gives you enough space to fully develop a concept without sacrificing the pace and immediacy of a short story. Looking back on my personal favorites from my writing I see that most of them are novellas.

Between your detective career and personal life how do you manage to set aside time to make so many of your author accomplishments possible?

I’m pretty organized when it comes to my writing. I usually write for about an hour in the morning, before the rest of my family wakes up, and then for another two hours after everyone has gone to bed. When it actually comes time to sit down at the computer to write, I almost always have an outline in front of me. Outlining, I’ve found, is the writer’s best friend. It gives you ability to see the whole story first before you start carving away at it. I’ve tried writing without an outline, but to me, it always feels like I’m stumbling around in the dark…which is cool for characters, not so much for writers.

Your first book, Dead City, you're turning into a series. Why did you chose to further its story?

The Lord of the Rings was about the only series I ever enjoyed reading. The overall storylines of most series, generally speaking, tend to be clumsy in their construction. Reading them, you can’t help but wonder how much of the work was stretched for the money. I didn’t want to do that with my writing career. I didn’t want to be that guy.

Still, as a writer, you invest a lot of mental energy in writing a novel. You spend all this time creating a world, creating histories for your characters, you put your heart and soul into it. That happened to me with Dead City. At the end of it, I realized I had suggested a lot of things that were going on outside of the main plot. The City of Houston was underwater. A quarantine wall had been erected along most of the Gulf Coast. The global economy was ruined. So it occurred to me that I could make a series of the book, and still avoid the pitfalls other series have fallen into. I set out to write books that forwarded the overall scenario to its logical consequences, but I would do it by following separate characters in each book. That way, it would be possible for readers to pick up any one of the books in the Dead City series without feeling like they’d come in halfway through the movie. The books can be read in any order, and while they make reference to each other, one is not dependant on the others in any way. The next book, called Apocalypse of the Dead, comes out in November.

Recently you began editing a few short story anthologies. Was that of your own pursuit? If so why?

My first editing job literally fell into my lap. I had published a short story in an anthology called Nights of Blood 2 through 23 House Publishing. I’ve always believed in the power of a handwritten thank you note, so when the book came out, I sent a note to Mitchel Whitington, the publisher, thanking him for letting me be in the anthology. That turned into a running email conversation, and before you know it, he’d talked me into co-editing Dead Set with Michelle McCrary. It was a great experience.

Mitchel and I kept trading emails after that, and that’s how we discovered that we both loved exploring abandoned buildings. For a long while I’d been talking with another friend of mine named Mark Onspaugh about editing an anthology of horror stories set in abandoned buildings, and the time seemed right for the book to finally take shape. We went to Mitchel, and he loved it. So, right now, Mark and I developing a project called The Forsaken, about how abandoned buildings got to be the way they are. The Forsaken is a little different than Dead Set, though, in that this one is invitation only. We’ve managed to get quite an impressive group of writers together, including Piers Anthony, Norman Prentiss, David Liss, and many others. I’m really excited about this project, which should drop in stores in April, 2011.

Is it harder to write on criminal vs horror, considering conflictions of work protocols?

Right before my first novel came out I was approached by an Internal Affairs sergeant who had some concerns about what I was writing. Was I compromising any police tactics or procedures, he asked. “Well,” I said, “my novel is about a zombie apocalypse, so if you anticipate us having one of those any time soon, then yeah, I guess we’re going to have a problem.” I trailed off with a shrug. “Otherwise…”

Of course I was just having fun with him. He knew that. But we both got the point, I think. You see, my department has some very specific rules about writing for publication. They don’t want officers compromising tactics and procedures, sure, but just as importantly, they don’t want officers writing about open cases or cases they have worked on in the past.

So why is that? Well, there is a public trust involved. Imagine a sexual assault victim finally working up the courage to go in to police headquarters and tell her story to a detective. She bares her story, one of violation and shame and bottomless anger, to this total stranger, trusting that he’s serious about the oath he took to be professional, confidential and honest. But then, the next thing she knows, she reads some salacious version of her story in a magazine or a crime novel.

That’s unacceptable, right? Sure, we can all agree on that. And that’s why I’ve always been careful to respect that confidentiality in my fiction. I have never, nor will I ever, write about real life cases in which I have personally taken part. You might think that horror fiction would be easier for me to write as a result, but the truth is that I can do both without overstepping the public trust I’ve been given as a police officer.
Still, I’m reminded of that line from THE HOBBIT that describes how way leads onto way. Even though I never use real life incidents for my fiction, I don’t ever hesitate to let reality carry me off on plot ideas. I imagine it’s the same for musicians. They may hear something and their mind starts riffing off of that, and before you know it, they’ve got a whole new song…and only the guy who wrote it will be able to recognize the seed from which that new song grew. Writing fiction is that way too.

You say that you read as much pulp fiction as you can. What it is about this genre that interests you so much?

Well, it’s all about that sense of wonder you get when delving into a really great story. I know I’ve found a good one when I catch myself leaning forward over a book or magazine, totally caught up in the characters and the story’s premise and the way the story is told. I don’t find that perfect marriage of circumstances coming together often enough, but I’ve found it more in the pulps than I have elsewhere.

Or, if you’ll let me continue the musical theme from my last answer, you could look at like the difference between a polished, professionally produced Broadway musical and an underground punk rock concert. I mean, Les Miserables is cool and all, but seeing The Clash in some smoky London nightclub is something else entirely. That’s why I like pulp fiction so much. I like the rough edges, the writers whose reach many times goes farther than their grasp. I like Chekhov and James and Virginia Wolff, sure, but give me giant city-destroying worms and battling spaceships and zombies crawling up from the grave any day. That’s where my heart is.

Can you tell us more about the charity anthology, Dead Set. Regarding reader's purchase, details, etc?

There are a ton of zombie anthologies on the market right now. Some of them are quite good. Most, however, are not. So, when the folks at 23 House asked me if I’d be interested in editing a zombie anthology, I was hesitant. I didn’t want to dump more crap into an already overly crappy field.

But 23 House Publishing is a really great outfit. They do primarily regional nonfiction titles, which means books about East Texas. However, they also put out one horror anthology a year and donate the profits to charity. That impressed me. Service has always been a big part of my life, and before I knew it, I found myself agreeing to co-edit the book with Michelle McCrary, who, in addition to being a fine writer in her right, is also the coordinator for the Shreveport Food Bank. Working together, we came up with a great lineup. Here’s the table of contents:

“Resurgam” by Lisa Mannetti
“Jailbreak” by Steven W. Booth and Harry Shannon
“Recess” by Rob Fox
“Biting the Hand that Feeds You” by Calie Voorhis
“Judgment” by Stephanie Kincaid
“Hatfield the Usurper” by Matthew Louis
“Ruminations from Tri-Omega House” by David Dunwoody
“Zombies on a Plane” by Bev Vincent
“Category Five” by Richard Jeter
“Survivors” by Joe McKinney
“Pierre & Remy Hatch a Plan” by Michelle McCrary
“Recovery” by Boyd E. Harris
“In the Middle of Poplar Street” by Nate Southard
“Seminar Z” by J.L. Comeau
“Only Nibble” by Bob Nailor
“Inside Where It’s Warm” by Lee Thomas
“Survivor Talk” by Mitchel Whitington
“The Zombie Whisperer” by Steven E. Wedel
“Good Neighbor Sam” by Mark Onspaugh
“That Which Survives” by Morgan Ashe

The stories span a considerable range of subject matter and emotions, and I think it’s a valuable contribution to zombie genre. Readers can find the book at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and through 23 House Publishing’s website. Profits go to the Make a Wish Foundation.

It's interviews like this that make me smile! I love when author's can take a simple one sentence question and write a few paragraphed response to. That is what makes a true writer and an experienced author. Thanks again Joe for allowing me to do the review for Dead City, the gift of Dead Set, and this zombielicious interview.
xoxo

Erin Bow Interview

2011-05-31T06:35:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! Here is an interview with Erin Bow author of Plain Kate. I had the pleasure of doing a review on Plain Kate last year. If you haven't read the novel, get to your local bookstore/library now!

You're an American, but now a Canadian citizen. So where did the Russian background come into play for Plain Kate?

The short answer is I read this three-volume set of Russian Fairy tales just before I started the book. The longer answer is that I've long been a Russophile -- I have great swaths of Pushkin memorized, for instance. I'm not Russian by background, but I feel in love with the poet Anna Ahkmatova in high school and have been reading the Russians ever since.

But the fairy tales -- they blew me away. They have a dark, rough magic, less familiar than the Grimm tales, less cosy. I love their strangeness, and I hope some of their ancient freshness and their magic came through in my KATE.

Both you and your husband are writers. There must be a lot of creativity in that house?!

There are a lot of books in the house, anyway: several thousand. And usually a lot of paper. And some times -- two writers, no day job -- not a lot of money, which can be hard.

But I love being married to another writer. We talk about writing; we read each other's work; we support each other unconditionally and without competition. It can be a lonely, insular, weird thing, writing, and while there's no avoiding that, it's at least good to have someone to be lonely and insular and weird with.

Poetry appears to be easier to write than a novel, in my experience. Which do you find happens with you?

Well, a poem is (say) 50 words, and a novel is upward of 50,000. Would you believe me if I said that the 50 words are harder?

Each word in a poem is harder, anyway. Writing a poem is like writing a spell; it has to be perfect; it has to be organic; it has to seem effortless. And you have to start again every time you want a new poem.

A novel can be banged together more roughly -- you can sketch stuff in and come back to it later. And you can carry the world in your head; you don't have to make a new one every single day. But of course a novel much longer, and there's the whole issue of plot -- getting the story right. That's the level on which it the spell has to work, and a spell of that size and power is incredibly hard.

Your poetry has been given a CBC Canadian Literary Award. Do you have any in mind you would like acheived for your novel?

Well, sure! I'll take a Printz, please! Or how about a Newbery? Or a (Canadian) Governor General's?

Seriously, I feel as if I've already won the lottery with landing Arthur Levine as PLAIN KATE'S editor. He's a genius; the people at Scholastic are wonderful -- I couldn't be happier, and I want nothing more.

What book (s) are you currently reading?

Just at this second I'm reading Magic Thief: Found, by Sarah Prineas. It's the third book in the Magic Thief series. These are so much fun. As a writer admire what Sarah's pulled off, too. Her narrator Conn feels things so strongly -- and never ever talks about that. The smallest reaction from him hits you hard. There was a point in book two where he stuttered a little and my heart was just broken -- I am going to study these until I figure out how the author did that.

I'm also reading a book of Mayan and Aztec folklore, and a book of poetry by Lawrence Raab.

Have you ever thought of incorporating your phsyics studies into any kind of poetry or novels?

I did study physics, and spent some time at CERN, the supercollider near Geneva. The publicity people always make much of this, and I guess it is out-of-the-common as writers' educations go. But it doesn't seem strange to me: it's just a different way of playing close attention -- as poets do -- and telling stories to make sense of the world -- as novelists do.

But a CERN-like setting or a physicist protagonist seem a little unlikely right now. At the moment my controlling obsessions as a writer are memory, regret, and second chances, which seems to mean that I write ghost stories. There might be something at the intersection of ghosts and physics, but I haven't found it yet.

What are your thoughts on books turned into movies?

Depends on the book and the movie.If the director is smart enough to know the interior experiences that words can give need to be changed into something we can, you know, see -- then the movie can be wonderful. I'd rather see movies that make these changes, like the recent Lord of the Rings films, than ones that are faithful and literal and lifeless, like the first two Harry Potter movies.

Can you recall your first written piece?

According to family legend, I've been writing since I had to dictate stuff. My earliest surviving work is a song called "No Dogs Allowed in the Grocery Store," to the tune of "Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho," written when I was three. I will leave you to imagine what a masterpiece it is.

How did you come up with the title of The Mongoose Diaries

The Mongoose Diaries is a memoir of my first year as a mom. Mongoose was -- still is -- my daughter's nickname: she is a skinny sharp-nosed bright-eyed meerkat of a person, ferocious and fast-moving and terrifyingly smart. And since I drew the book out of my diary, it does seem like a natural title.

That said, I didn't come up with it myself. Possibly by that stage my brain had shut down with mom fatigue, because I had no idea what the book should be called. I took suggestions on my blog, and my mother-in-law named it.

What was your Book Expo experience like this year?

Exhilarating. Exhausting. Stunning. For starters, Scholastic sent a stretch limo to the train station for my family and me. I'm trying hard not to minimize my work as a poet, but do you know one thing poets never get? Limos. My four-year-old Fancy-Nancy daughter was in heaven.

Arthur Levine got up in front of a huge ballroom full of people and compared my book to others he'd worked on: Harry Potter, the Golden Compass. He said Kate was "eternal." I almost fainted. And the next day I read in front of another huge crowd, and signed so many books that I lost the trick of my signature and had to start printing. Then I started to misspell "Erin."

In short, KATE really stepped out in New York. I was thrilled. And, as a natural introvert, I don't think I've yet recovered.

Thanks once again Erin. I really enjoyed this interview with you. Congratulations on your sucess.
xoxo

Mermaid by Carolyn Turgeon

2011-05-28T19:37:00.000-07:00

They say you can see things here, at the end of the world. Faces in the clouds and waves and leaves. Branches becoming arms and then branches again.

But there it was a flash of white.
Margrethe blinked repeatedly, and the sea air seemed to cut through her.
She wiped tears from her eyes and cheeks and leaned into the wind. The sea
seemed to shift from foam to water, from dark to light, swirling. In the distance,
rocks jutted. It would be easy to mistake one for the monstrous fin of a great fish, the prow of a ship sinking down.
And then: a curving, gleaming tail flaring out of the water. A moment
later, another flash and a pale face emerging, disappearing as quickly as it had
appeared. A woman's face. The tail of a fish stretching out behind her. Silvery,
as if it were made of gems...
Mermaid. The name came to Margrethe automatically, from the stories that had rooted themselves in her mind, the ancient tales she had read by firelight as the rest of the castle had slept.
She no longer felt the wind or the cold as she stood transfixed, watching
the mermaid move through the water. Margrethe had not known such things
could really exist, but the moment she saw the mermaid, it was as if the world
had always contained this kind of wonder...
As the mermaid approached the shore, Margrethe saw that she was carrying
something. A man.

So this just happens to be the third review I have done for Carolyn. I knew in 2010 this book was in route to being published. As with the two previous novels, I most certainly wanted to read it. Thankfully Carolyn offered to send it to me before I had to beg for it. LOL!

Carolyn Turgeon is like Calgon...take me away! From page one until page 240 her words develop such vivid imagery of the scene she writes about. In this novel it features the classic tale of "The Little Mermaid" by Hans Christian Andersen, only with the author's up-to-date adaptation. There are two princesses: Margrethe the human, and Lenia/Astrid the mermaid princess. The story is told from both of their perspectives alternating by each princess per chapter, essentially this is almost like two books in one.

There was a section that was purely poetic to me, some may think in a morbid way. The portion I am speaking of talks about a comparison of human and mermaid death; with humans we rot and with mermaids they turn to foam. This was so beautifully written and phrased that Carolyn can even make death sound pleasant.

Unlike the Disney, way too cheer-y version, this take is definitely nowhere near that. In this version the sea witch is not some psycho lunatic mad woman under the sea. She actually has a very sad back story. I think this is one of the huge differences that made a significant impact upon this story. While on this topic, I felt that Lenia's character gave a more realistic offering for the spell of her transformation from mermaid to human. It was drastically more gothic than that of any other mermaid tale, yet it provided

Mermaid is a fairy tale book of melodic metaphors. When Lenia/Astrid saw Christopher again the lack of her ability to speak causes such a depth of sadness for the reader. Before I began reading Ch. 16 I went to check my email on Yahoo. As soon as I logged on I quickly seen an article about a mermaid book becoming a movie. I knew just what book this was for! I couldn't help but get excited for both the book and Carolyn.

During Chapter 16 I began to get so overwhelmed with frustration with the play of events. I expected one thing but got another. This was further expanded into Chapter 23. During that chapter there was a whirlpool of emotional events with the three main characters: Margrethe, Lenia/Astrid and Christopher. Upon reaching the ending of the novel I was even more frustrated with the ending. Society has turned fairy tales into splendid, glorious tales of happiness. Although I wasn't happy with the ended, the story ended just as it should have. It is a welcoming feeling to know that Carolyn has brought back a true and authentic adaptation of such a classic fairy tale...or in this case fairy tail!

Favorite quotes:
"No one could be whole in a universe so divided."

"Go and you will see nothing is as wonderful as our dreams can make it."

"How many of us can choose to leave one self, one world behind and embrace another, better one?"

"So much pain and euphoria, a sense that, even though her own heart was broken the world could contain such beauty and magic she almost could not bear it."

"I believed in beauty, in magic, because of you..."

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephanie Meyer

2011-05-28T15:17:00.000-07:00

BREE TANNER CAN BARELY REMEMBER LIFE
before she had uncannily powerful senses,
superhuman reflexes, and unstoppable physical
strength. Life before she had a relentless thirst
for blood...life before she became a vampire.

ALL BREE KNOWS IS THAT LIVING WITH HER
fellow newborns has few certainties and even
fewer rules: watch your back, don't draw
attention to yourself, and above all, make it
home by sunrise or die. What she doesn't know:
her time as an immortal is quickly running out.

THEN BREE FINDS AN UNEXPECTED FRIEND
in Diego, a newborn just as curious as Bree
about their new creator, whom they
know only as her. As they come to realize that
the newborns are pawns in a game larger than
anything they could have imagined, Bree and
Diego must choose sides and decide whom to
trust. But when everything you know about
vampires is based on a lie, how do you find
the truth?

IN ANOTHER IRRESISTIBLE COMBINATION
of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie
Meyer tells the devastating story of the newborn
army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan
and the Cullens, following their encounter to
its unforgettable conclusion.

Ever since this book was released I would go to the store in attempts of buying it. Money was never the issue. I was more concerned with the effects of my opinions on it changing how I felt about the Twilight Saga. This past Christmas the choice was made for me. My aunt had bought the book for me as a present. That day I read the entire story.

I was happy to return to the Twilight story but focusing on a different character, a different story and even a different perspective. I really enjoyed Stephanies enlightening foreword on her reasoning to include Bree's story in the saga.

During the Eclipse novel and more notably for those who don't bother reading books, the movie, Bree was portrayed as barely even a character to remember. She was also displayed as a weak and timid newly turned vampire. I believe if anyone were to read this book you would quickly change your mind.

I thought it was interesting how the book is layed out with no chapters. This definitely made it more clear how Meyer's didn't want Bree's life thought of as pro-longed but brief, and short like the title states.

Diego, another vampire character, who I don't remember from the books or movies is an addition to the cast of top characters, in my opinion. I think that Fred has the potential for another spin-off story featuring the Volturi.

Overall this added story was written in a new way that the previous Twilight saga was. I also find it comforting to know that she included certain parts from the previous four books to preserve pertinent scenes but specifically planted in Bree's story from her perspective. It's amazing how perspective can play a significant role on how a story evolves or can even change.

Down Among The Dead Men by Robert Gregory Browne

2011-05-28T13:50:00.000-07:00

IN THE HOUSE OF DEATH

The newspapers called it Casa de la Muerta, a grisly house of horrors in the Mexican desert where five Catholic nuns were brutally murdered. Freelance journalist Nick Vargas knows it's a terrific subject for a true crime book-and a chance to revitalize his ruined career. But when he arrives at the scene, he learns there may have been a sixth victim: an American woman whose body has disappeared. Now Nick is dead set on finding her...

IN THE SHADOW OF EVIL

L.A. prosecutor Beth Crawford thought it would be fun to join her sister on a cruise to Baja Norte. But when she meets a pair of seductive strangers onboard-Beth follows her suspicions into a sinister world of crime, corruption, and dark superstition. Now, with the help of reporter Nick Vargas, Beth must enter the heart of evil itself, where all shall be revealed...on the Day of the Dead.

This is another ARC that I had requested last year. This is definitely not the typical genre of books I enjoy. However something about this story captivated my attention. The prologue was one that held my attention and catapulted me to continue further reading. This novel's chapters were one of such easy reading that they were actually much shorter than most I've ever. It was an adrenaline ride between Vargas' story & Beth's. I was intrigued on how they would eventually be correlated.

Beth's side of the story is like a tug-of-war with Jen, while Vargas' is more...gripping. Part 2 was significantly more dramatic with a turn of events that had pieces of the puzzle to the story that came together confirming my suspicion from the beginning. The last 1/4 of the book made me want to skip ahead. The intensity of the story became considerably more...intriguing...action packed...clear as the puzzle pieces are assembled from part 2.

I admit at being shocked at the ending. I wasn't sure what to expect or even what my own expectations were. But if you want to read a fairy tale, this isn't it!

As I said above, this isn't my typical genre of choice but the story resonated so well with me that I am happy I was given the opportunity to read it. I actually enjoyed it so much that I am open to reading other works from this author.

Hunted By The Others by Jess Haines

2011-05-28T13:17:00.000-07:00

They are the Others-the vampires, mages, and werewolves once thought to exist only in our imaginations. Now they're stepping out of the shadows, and nothing in our world will ever be the same again...

IN A TOWN LIKE THIS, BEING A P.I. CAN BE MURDER

Shiarra Waynest's detective work was dangerous enough when her client base was strictly mortal. But ailing finances have forced her to accept a lucrative case that could save her firm- if it doesn't kill her first. Shiarra has signed on to work for a high-level mage to recover an ancient artifact owned by one of New York's most powerful vampires.

As soon as Shiarra meets sexy, mesmerizing vamp Alec Royce, she knows her assignment is even more complicated than she thought. With a clandestine anti-Other group trying to recruit her, and magi being eliminated, Shiarra needs back-up and enlists her ex-boyfriend-a werewolf whose non-furry form is disalarmingly appealing=and a nerdy mage with surprising talents. But it may not be enough. In a city where the undead roam, magic rules, and even the Other's aren't always what they seem, Shiarra has just become the weapon in a battle between good and evil-whether she likes it or not...

This was an ARC that I specifically requested from the author, whom sent me the final and autographed copy. The story is written in a non-sensical style that doesn't cater to "cheesy paranormal romance novels" other authors have written in the past. More authors in this genre need to strive for the effort Jess Haines has done. I admit I am not anywhere close to a fan of the novel's artwork. I am definitely one to judge a book by its cover. Had I seen this in the stores based on the artwork, I would have never even bothered touching the book.

An interesting piece of information is that I was actually reviewing a novel for Alison Sinclair at the same time I read this one. Both of these novels spoke about their characters eating bagels with lox and cream cheese. This must be some foreign thing because I am still unware of exactly what this is. LOL!

I thought it was interesting as well that she incorporated a new twist on vampire/slayer protection items/weapons. The story is full of female catty humor. I usually include my favorite quotes from reviews, but this book is so full of them from the beginning until the end. It just would save me time to say my favorite quote is the entire book itself.

As I read the story I hoped for Royce and Shia's character to become my new "Buffy & Angel" couple. Arnold's character was getting so annoying. Everytime it mentioned him I felt as if he was attempting to hook up with every female character in the novel. I think he needs to lower his viagra dosage. But as the story came to a close this issue was happily resolved. I believe the story ended with a great turn of events.

Overall this story was beautifully written with a graceful flow of words that of course is counter-acted by the intensity of vampires, mages and werewolves. I definitely hope this story prolongs into a lengthy series of novels. It certainly has a high potential to do so.

We Were Here by Matt de la Pena

2011-05-28T12:57:00.000-07:00

When it happened Miguel was sent to Juvi. The judge only gave him a year in a group home-said Miguel had to write in a journal so some counselor could try to figure out how he thinks. The judge had no idea that he'd actually done Miguel a favor. Ever since it happened Miguel's mom can't even look him in the eye. Any home besides his would be a better place to live.

But Miguel didn't bet on meeting Rondell or Mong or on any of what happened after they broke out. He only thought about Mexico and getting across the border to where he could start over. Forget his mom. Forget his brother. Forget himself.

Life usually doesn't work out how you think it will, though. And most of the time, running away is the quickest path right back to what you're running from.

From the streets of Stockton to the beaches of Venice, all the way down to the Mexican border, We Were Here follows a journey of self-doscpvery by a boy who is trying to forgive himself in an unforgiving world.

I had contacted Matt at some point in 2010 and he had so kindly sent me the final hardback copy of this book. The thing that most drew me to this book was the story of troubled youth in a children's home.

This was written so precisely like the age of the character, Miguel. It is amazing how deep into the characters Matt gets to give the reader a complete detail of the individuals. De La Pena's use of racial ethnicities is very profound from the beginning. Miguel's sense of being "alone" hits very close to home. Although a fictional character the scenarios that the kid faces do carry over into reality for a lot of juveniles in the foster care system, such as myself in my younger years. I know from experience.

I definitely felt a compulsion to Mong & Miguel's characters, forming a compassion for both. Rondell is such a sad and depressing character, but there's almost no "life" to him. I did enjoy the fact that the author incorporated real novels into his own fictional one with Miguel finding a passion in novels to escape his reality. As the story progressed my favorite characters revolved from Miguel to Mong to Rondell and back to Miguel.

I think this is a coming-of-age story where group home kids can escape and through their own versions of rites-of-passage become maturing adults.

Favorite quotes:
"You ever wonder why some people get so much darker than others? It's about people's genes, I know. And how all the continents were once connected or whatever. But how did it start? Who was the first person to come out looking all different from everybody else? Sometimes I trip on shit like that."

"By the way, I decided what I like about reading books. When I'm following a character does in a book I don't have to think about my own life."

The Mage In Black by Jaye Wells

2011-05-28T12:37:00.000-07:00

Sabina Kane doesn't have the best track record when it comes to family. After all, her own grandmother, leader of the vampire race, wants her dead. But when Sabina meets her mage relatives in New York, at least they put the fun in dysfunctional. Though, bizarrely, everyone seems to think she's some kind of Chosen who'll unite the dark races. Sabina doesn't care who chose her, she's not into destiny.

But the mages aren't Sabina's only problem. In New York's Black Light District, she has run-ins with fighting demons, hostile werewolves and an opportunistic flame. Sabina thought she'd take a bite out of the Big Apple, but it looks like it wants to bite back.

This is the second book in the Sabina Kane series that Jaye had sent me upon request. Immediately I could tell that Jaye's sense of humor still dominated the story. I was frustrated that there was no talk of Lavinia's predicament from the ending of book one to her locality in book two. There was also talk of Lavinia...but she never appeared. I expected some conflict or even a resolution with her and Sabina in some way or another.

The layout of chapters in this book were a bit longer than book one's, but still filled with excitement, yet not overly lengthy to a feel boredom. (Basically still a sense of easy reading and flowing.)It did feel like at one part the story became a mix of Fight Club meets Pokemon of Demons. I did think eventually this Demon Fight Club took away from Sabina's actual story. I also felt that Damara's character was predictable from her entrance in the story.

Again, I did find a handful or more of errors as I did in book one. I don't blame the author. I just think that the publishing department needs to seriously consider their employees who do these things. If I were an author, which eventually I hope will happen one day, I would be embarrassed to be told about many mistakes in a final copy of my work.

Red-Headed Stepchild by Jaye Wells

2011-05-28T12:20:00.000-07:00

In a world where being of mixed blood is a major liability, Sabina doesn't really fit in. And being an assassin-the only profession fit for an outcast-doesn't help matters. But she's never brought her work home. Until now.

Her latest mission is uncomfortably complex and threatens the fragile peace between the vampire and mage races. As Sabina scrambles to figure out which side she's on, she uncovers a tangled political web, some nasty facts about her family, and some unexpected new talents. Any of these things could be worryingly life changing, but together they could be fatal...

Sabina Kane:
She's down, but she's not out.

This is an ARC that I had requested from the author awhile ago. Jaye actually sent me book one and two with an autographed note. Ok so moving on to this much overdue review....

Red-Headed Stepchild has such an intense introduction that you are able to see immediately that Sabina has some psychological issues that she needs to overcome. The entire story is very descriptive. I am typically a non-political person. However the political situations, even though fictional, did capture my attention and had an opening with a great mystery.

I think that Sabina Kane comes in a close tie with Gin Blanco, (Jennifer Estep's fictional Elemental assassin, who are two main characters as the top paranormal heroines of 2010 that I immersed myself with. I loved the way that Jaye incorporated her sarcasism and humor and even ironical references such as Adam Lazarious in this novel.

I also sometimes run into novels that have a great storyline but still are unclear or confusing. This book simply spells everything out and doesn't leave the reader sitting on the curb contemplating. In Chapter 21 I was confused with a contradictory statement when Sabina states about being embarassed in front of her friends, but then in the end of the chapter she talks of not being/having friends? Either I was having a blonde moment, or maybe Sabina is simply bi-polar. LOL!

This was a final printed edition and not an ARC. I did find a few grammatical errors. I would suggest the editorial department should do a few extra editing runs before a final submission.

Favorite quotes:
"Never had a loss cut so deep. I worried I might bleed from the pain."

"Pain was my friend. It meant I was still alive."

Spring Update

2011-05-23T22:25:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I know it's been awhile. I've been so busy with many things involved on campus as the school year is coming to a close and a new one begins. I will be posting some more reviews soon.

I have since been contacted by my good friend Amanda Ashley to review her upcoming novel Bound By Night. This book will be in stores sometime in September. I was also contacted by a publisher to review Before Versailles by Karleen Koen. This is a new author for me and what appears to be a new genre of reviews as well. You will find this novel in stores June 28, 2011.

So stay tuned and I'm so sorry once again for the lack of my posts. Best wishes and happy reading!

xoxo

Update Part 2

2011-02-23T20:55:00.000-08:00

So here's a list of my newest books to my library:
Thirst #1- Christopher Pike (Omnibus: 1/3)*
Thirst #2- Christopher Pike (Omnibus: 0/3)
Thirst #3- Christopher Pike (Omnibus: 0/3)
The Midnight Club- Christopher Pike
Eat, Prey, Love- Kerrelyn Sparks
Butterfly- V.C. Andrews
Pretties- Scott Westerfield
Uglies- Scott Westerfield
Ironman- Chris Crutcher
The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner- Stephanie Meyer*
The Chronicles of Vladimir Todd: Eighth Grade Bites- Heather Brewer*
The Chronicles of Vladimir Todd: Ninth Grade Slays- Heather Brewer
The Chronicles of Vladimir Todd: Tenth Grade Bleeds- Heather Brewer
The Chronicles of Vladimir Todd: Eleventh Grade Burns- Heather Brewer
The Chronicles of Vladimir Todd: Twelfth Grade Kills- Heather Brewer
Black Beauty- Anna Sewell
May I Kiss You On The Lips, Miss Sandra?- Sandra Bernhard
Fey Born- R. Garland Gray
Are You There, Vodka? It's Me Chelsea- Chelsea Handler
The Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Capture- Cathryn Lasky
The Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Journey- Cathryn Lasky
The Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Rescue- Cathryn Lasky
Charm- Kendall Hart
Undead & Unemployed- MaryJanice Davidson
Undead & Unappreciated- MaryJanice Davidson
Undead & Unreturnable- MaryJanice Davidson
Undead & Unpopular- MaryJanice Davidson
Undead & Uneasy- MaryJanice Davidson
Undead & Unworthy- MaryJanice Davidson
Sleeping With The Fishes- MaryJanice Davidson
Swimming Without A Net- MaryJanice Davidson
Fish Out Of Water- MaryJanice Davidson
The Witching Hour- Anne Rice
Red Riding Hood- Sarah Blakely-Cartwright
The Yearling- Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
Tuck Everlasting- Natalie Babbitt
The Beach- Alex Garland*
His Bright Light- Danielle Steel*
The Green Mile: Coffey on the Mile Part 6- Stephen King*
Words in the Dust- Trent Reedy (won from GoodReads contest)

First ARC of 2011:
Mermaid- Carolyn Turgeon

Update

2011-02-23T12:03:00.000-08:00

Hey followers! I know my posts have been lacking and I am sincerely sorry for that. School this quarter (winter) is killing me worse than fall. I still have reviews I have finished that I need to post. I also have new books to my library and I just won a book off of Good Reads again and a new ARC from Ms. Carolyn Turgeon. I will do another post about this later tonight. If possible.
xoxo

Darkborn by Alison Sinclair

2011-01-10T00:54:00.000-08:00

For the Darkborn, sunlight kills. For the Lightborn, darkness is fatal. Living under a centuries old curse, the Darkborn and the Lightborn share the city of Minhorne, coexisting in an uneasy equilibirum but never interacting...

When Darkborn physician Balthasar Hearne finds a pregnant fugitive on his doorstep just before sunrise, he has no choice but to take her in. Tercelle Amberley's betrothed is a powerful Darkborn nobleman, but her illicit lover came through the daytime. When she gives birth to twin boys, Balthasar realizes that they can see- something unheard of among the Darkborn.

Soon after, men arrive in search of the children. Balthasar is saved only by the intervention of his Lightborn neighbor-and healed by the hands of his wife, Telmaine. Soon Balthasar finds himself ensnared in a web of political intrigue and magic as an ancient enemy of both Darkborn and Lightborn appears in a new guise and with a hatred that has not never waned. And Telmaine must confront a power she can no longer keep sheathed in gloves, a power she neither wants nor can control.

This was an ARC that I had requested a very long time ago, or so it seems. Alison also sent me the sequel Lightborn, which both are now in stores.

This novel for me was very confusing throughout most of its entirety. It has a very, and I mean a very! extensive vocabulary. Sonn, demimonde, salle, passe-muraille, sundered rappier, gallard, sibilant, difidently, embittered...just to name a few. While I love reading books to learn new words this just seemed like an overcompensation and overwhelming as well.

I was unsure if the characters were some kind of vampires, faeries or other supernatural entity. I feel as if I were thrown into the middle of a story- which usually makes me like a novel. This, however, just made me feel overwhelmed with the vast amount of characters and locations. A previous novel, prequel, may have helped clear up the utter confusion I felt.

Nearing the end the intensity was amplified, as was the confusion, the vocabulary, and even more characters. It was like bits and pieces fitting together but as they came together it resulted in a blurry image?

Originally I was not feeling the novel much at all. There were so many minute details and factors that just had me confused. Thankfully the story came to a close and then I was aware of the understanding needed for this novel.

Soon I will begin the sequel to this trilogy. Hopefully with the first novel it will allow me to embrace the story more?! Thanks again to Alison for sending me both novels and allowing me to review them for her.

Favorite quote:
"...like two roses kissing in the wind..."

Renee Rearden Interview

2010-11-15T12:21:00.000-08:00

In what seems like forever ago Renee somehow found me and inquired that I review her upcoming novel, Moonlight Bleu (which is now in stores). Due to unforeseen events it took me longer than expected to finish it. As you can see the review has been posted and now I am posting the interview. I really do like the book and the author is just as great!

How did you come up with the eccentric character names in your novel?
That’s a loaded question! I’m an official court reporter by day. So during jury trials (and other kinds of hearings) I often hear interesting names through testimony offered in court. I also love finding new ways to spell the names I hear. It’s kind of a game I play when building a character’s personality.

The subtle use of homo-erotica was appealing for me, even though it was lesbian based. What involved your decision to include that as a part of your story?
Well, honestly, it wasn’t a scene I’d consciously planned. As a writer, I’m kind of a pantser. So even though I have a general story direction, the characters always surprise me when I sit down at the keyboard and write. For conflict or interest, I often take situations and turn them on their head. That may explain why this part of the storyline developed as it did.

The title is called Moonlight Bleu, not Moonlight Blue. What's the significance instead of using one than the other?
I’m chuckling. Sorry, can’t help it. Look at each title above. Which one looks more interesting? Different? Moonlight Bleu, of course. And there’s your answer. =D

The Tueri are a new paranormal life form I haven't heard of. Well that sounded a bit redundant! Anyways, were the Tueri something you-yourself made up? Or have they already been established before?
The Tueri are a paranormal form of human evolution I created. The word tueri is Latin for defend. I thought the definition appropriate for this new world. With preternatural creatures roaming the planet, somebody needs to defend the human race, right?

With such intensity between the Trigonal Pair, was it hard to not incorporate sex into the story? Or was the underlying sexuality enough?
No, it wasn’t hard to not incorporate sex in the story per se. I’m just an old-fashioned girl. I love the idea of meeting someone, getting to know them, and discovering the fire that burns toward love. That kind of lasting bond didn’t happen overnight for me, but all kinds of intense magnetism was there. That’s what I wanted for my characters. Now in book two, be ready for some serious smexin’!

Maurika is an interesting character. What quality does she possess that you find in yourself? What quality does she have that you would like to have?
Maurika possesses a strong sense of loyalty. Her leadership abilities, combined with an absolute devotion to protecting her pack, makes her a formidable woman. I think we’re most alike in that sense. My family means everything to me, and I would do whatever it takes to keep them safe. As for a quality she has that I would like to have…gotta be the enhanced senses from her lunate side. Can you imagine being able to see, hear, and smell on such an amazing level? Wow.

Would you ever consider a novel featuring Maurika?
Well, the main characters in my Tueri books will always be my Trigonal protagonists and an antagonist. However, just for you, I’ll tell you a secret. I’ve started book three in this series, and Maurika plays a large part of this storyline. So, she’ll definitely be back!

Is Dhelis' career a reflection of your own?
Hmm, that’s a yes and no answer. As I mentioned before, I’m an official court reporter, and I work in the legal field. I do, however, have a lot of contact with law enforcement through my career.

Will there be a continuation to Saari's story? (You already answered this but I think it will be a good question for my readers to see. My original question you already answered i.e. Josie, Trigonal Pair, etc.)
Saari’s story will absolutely continue. The second book has already been written and is in editing stages right now. Saari, Dhelis, and Brogan are working on their Trigonal match, and Josie has definite plans to interfere with their burgeoning relationship.

Thanks again to Renee for the opportunity to review and interview her. Most importantly I want to thank her for her patience and graciousness. We're looking forward to book two, three, four........
xoxo

Past Midnight by Mara Purnhagen

2010-11-01T07:31:00.000-07:00

I don't believe in ghosts.
Unfortunately they believe in me.

Let me set the record straight. my name is Charlotte Silver and I'm not one of those paranormal-obsessed freaks you see on TV...no, those would be my parents, who have their own ghost-hunting reality show. And while I'm usually roped into the behind-the-scenes work, it turns out that I haven't gone unnoticed. Something happened on my parent' research trip in Charleston-and now I'm being stalked by some truly frightening other beings. Trying to fit into a new schooland keeping my parents' creepy occupation a secret from my friends and potential boyfriends-is hard enough without having angry spirits whispering in my ear. All I ever wanted was to be normal, but with the ghosts of my past and present colliding, now I just want to make it out of high school alive...

This is an ARC that I had requested from the author. She willingly sent me the novel included with an autograph and a bookmark of the book itself. As I began the story it was quickly acknowleged how fast, comfortable and easy to tead it would be. The beginning actually starts with a deja vu of sorts that you have already been in the story before you begun to read. It also had a feel of "Ghost Hunter's" and "The Ghost Whisperer," even if it was a more adolescent view.

With the exception of my work and school, I sincerely didn't want to put this book down!This is definitely one of my top new favorite series of the year. Chapter 1-15 were gradually paced. Then along comes Chapter 16 and you feel like a catapultation of suspense. Then it guickly slowed down again.

Clearly the novel is fiction. However even ficticiously the drama involved with Avery, Adam & Jared, was very surreal. The loss of someone in your life causes many effects, very rarely do we ever get them reconciled.

The Pickens' resolution I thought was phenomenal. Differentialy tho, I thought the resolution between Avery, Adam & Jared was very minimalistic. Personally I felt it should have been prolonged. Or even resolved in book two which could lead into the exciting new adventure in this series?!

I had a couple favorite quotes in this novel. Here they are:

"...the trick is not to prove something is real, but to prove that it is not real."

"The truth is that the paranormal is normal. It's just a normal we don't understand yet."

"I was a little overwhelmed at the thought that I was surrounded by people willing to walk into the unknown with me."

Thanks again to Mara for the novel, authograph, bookmark and our interview. I sincerely apologize for the delay in the post. I look forward to more adventures with you and the characters in the new series.
xoxo

Moonlight Bleu by Renee Rearden

2010-10-19T12:34:00.000-07:00

Saari Mitchell sees a psychologist in order to understand why-500 years later-she's still dreaming of her dead lover. Her shrink isn't helping, the nightmares come every time she closes her eyes, and the lack of sleep is interfering with her job at Sacred Heart Hospital. With her psychic ability to heal the human spirit on the fritz, her auric radar becomes as reliable as her spotty cell phone service.

By day, Dhelis Guidry works as a detective for the New Angeles Police Department investigating the missing or murdered women in the Full-Moon Killer case. In his spare time he hunts rogue vampires as a Tueri executioner.

Brogan Vincent is a Tueri healer. Though he could offer his miraculous talents to the rich and powerful, he has chosen anonymity and peace by only using his psychic abilities among the Tueri.

One look into Saari's tri-colored eyes and both men realize she is Tueri. One touch tells them each she's their soul mate. But can either of them protect her from the Full-Moon Killer?

Moonlight Bleu is a novel that I was actually blessed to receive from the author. She actually contacted me first, which is usually the opposite in my typical arc dealings. Due to my studies at college I have been so overwhelmed and overloaded among many other things; which has hindered me in the delay of this review and others as well. So I am happy to announce that I have finally been able to finish and post the review for Renee and you readers alike.

As I said above Renee actually contacted me in regards of doing a review for her. She actually sent me the arc autographed, and included a hand-written personal letter. I thought it was such an endearing and professional thing to do, especially considering most people now-a-days lack the personal touches on such things (including myself at times)!

I was a bit confused on the lands and places. I think it would have been nice to include a map of the areas so us visual people could get an idea of where things were located. There was a scene with Thana & Dhelis that read with an intensity but seemed to have a sense of disconnect. To make up for that remark, I found it intriguing to read about Tueri's. These are a paranormal group of people whom I have never heard of and never read about either. It was such an interesting concept with their stone rider's, pairings and "powers".

Although it's relevant to the flow of the story, it seems as if it took foreverrrrrrrrrrrrrr for Brogan to be introduced into the story. I actually found myself liking his character more than Dhelis. The council scene with Saari, Brogan, Dhelis & Josie seemed like a huge snowball effect. Although it cleared up some story flow and consistency, that part IMO, should have been further prolonged?!

Several of the last chapters were action packed. I think a little delayed, but specifically chapters 30-end made up for it. There was no resolution with the psycho bitch, Josie. However the ending was feasible if there will be a continuation into the story. I just feel that there wasn't a complete ending since you are not sure of what will happen with the Trigonal Pair.

Favorite Quote:
"Evil, soullessness- it's not defined by what you are, only by what you do. How you live your life, choosing not to deliberately harm others, that's what defines a person's soul."

Mindi Scott Interview

2010-10-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

This is an interview with the talented author of Freefall, Mindi Scott. Let's see what clever things she has to say....

Wow! When you get your first novel they don't give you a break do they?

They totally do, actually! I had a few months off while waiting for revision notes after the deal went through. And now that the pass pages are done, I'm done for now. Although, there is always the next book to write and networking and all that . . .

I just finished sending Kimberly Derting her interview. Isn't she sweet?

She's VERY sweet! She actually lives about an hour away from me, so we've met up a few times.

What is it like seeing rows of your books in major book stores?

At the time of this interview, that hasn't happened to me. Maybe we'll have to do a follow up later. ;-)

Eight cats? I have one and he's enough!

Where did you hear that slanderous rumor??? I have only four cats. Of course, they are enough trouble for eight, I suppose.

Is it weird being an author interviewing an author?

Not at all! It think it's more natural than being an author interviewing any other sort of person.

Are you overwhelmed with emails regarding Freefall?

Lately, yes, but I'm trying to catch up.

What is your favorite type of music? Do you have a playlist you listen to while writing?

I like the music we used to call "alternative," I suppose. I change up music for every book I work on, though. Right now, it's non-stop Silversun Pickups. While I was writing and revising FREEFALL, I listened mainly to the Killers, Ash, Social Distortion, Tom Petty, and "It's Been Awhile" by Staind.

Have you seen any good movies lately? Which ones? Looking forward to any upcoming ones?

I NetFlix'ed BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM and that was pretty cute. I'm looking forward to the ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT movie if it ever happens!

What is the last book you read? What was it about?

A LOVE STORY STARRING MY DEAD BEST FRIEND by Emily Horner. According to Amazon is about "the breadth of love. Of the depth of friendship. And of the most hilarious musical one quiet suburb has ever seen." :-)

Thanks so much for the interview! I appreciate it.

No, thank you Mindi! It was my pleasure to have you take time out of your busy schedule and allow me this interview. I can't wait for Freefall to come out as it is part of the Debut Author Challenge I joined back in December 2009. May October bring you lots of success and fans galore.

Jeff Jacobson Interview

2010-09-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

Jeff's name may jog a memory of a previous review of his I did this year, Foodchain. This man is just hysterical and his novel was insane!! Take a glance at what he has cared to share with me.

Your newest novel, "Food Chain" was released last month. Can you tell us a little about it?

Foodchain is a crime novel about Frank Winter, a disgraced veternarian who works for the mob at a Chicago horse racing track. When a job goes bad, they take Frank out to a roadside zoo out in the desert and try to feed him to a bunch of starving alligators. He ends up in an isolated small town where the tyrannical mayor puts Frank's talents to use in a series of exotic animal hunts that escalate into animal death matches. And of course, Frank is pushed to the brink, and has to decide whether to side with the humans or the animals. Basically, it's a story of bad guys and even worse guys. I mean, to be totally honest, when I started, all I wanted to write was a compelling, really vicious shoot 'em up. And Foodchain was the result.

Columbia is one of America's most prolific colleges. Did you begin writing before teaching? Or vice versa?

I'm one of these guys who started writing stories as soon as I learned how to read and write. I think my mom has a few of my early efforts, thirteen page epics with painstaking illustrations like "The Creature From the Black Swamp." I suppose the subject matter hasn't changed much over the years, but hopefully my skills have grown a bit sharper.

Do you incorporate your own work into your teachings? Why?

Oh sure. Columbia College Chicago is a liberal arts school that takes a lot of pride in hiring teachers that work in whatever field they're teaching. As a writer, it's impossible not to bring my own experiences into the fiction workshops. Not so much my voice or the content of my stuff; in fact I work very hard at keeping neutral so students can develop their own voices and stories. The last thing I want is for my students to go out and write stuff just like mine. But I definitely talk about my experiences in publishing. I especially talk about my mistakes, so the students can learn from my dumbass moves, and they can go on and make their own mistakes, which is how we learn.

You seem to travel a bit? California, Chicago, Taiwan, Australia...What did you take away from your acting in "the land down under?"

Yeah, I like to travel. There's something very appealling about dropping everything, throwing shit in a backpack, and hopping on a plane. Of course, it's different now, since I've got a family and a job, so it isn't quite as simple. It started in high school, when a buddy was going to apply to be a foreign exchange student. He ultimately wanted to go the Air Force Academy, and apparently they frowned on anybody spending an extended length of time outside the States, so he dropped the application. God forbid you might actually learn there's a whole other world out there. The more I thought about it, the more I said what the hell, and within a year, I was living in Melbourne, Australia. There, I met some fantastic folks, and ended up acting in a non-profit company called "No Mates", directed by my good pal Craig Christie, who has gone on to become quite a celebrated playwright/songwriter. In terms of what I took away, I think it was probably a heightened awareness of your audience when you're telling a story. When you're acting, you get this immediate feedback, and so you can alter whatever you're doing, stretch moments out, stress certain things, etc. When you're writing, you don't have the luxury of that immediate audience, so it helps if you can imagine one and try to anticipate how they might react. Of course, there's also a flip side; when you're acting and the audience isn't into your story, then you've got nowhere to hide. When you're writing, you can keep rewriting, keep sending it out to your friends and gauging their reaction, you keep fiddling with things until your happy.

You mentioned to me that "Wormfood" has changed since the ARC, Advanced Reader Copy. What was the reasoning for the changes?

Oh, nothing major, just a few small things, like fixing a few clunky sentences, some dumb continuity errors on my part, things like that.

If you had to pick three of your top favorite most gory, blood-fest movies, what would they be?

Jeez, I don't know. It's too fucking hard to nail down just three, you know? I tell ya, in terms of movies that have influenced me the most, I've got probably five or six crammed into the top three spots in a kind of strange tie. But if you put a gun to my head, let's see... My life wouldn't be complete without Dawn of the Dead, Jaws, and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. There's some others I can't live without, like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Road Warrior, The Killer and Hard Boiled, Escape From New York, The Thing... Man, I could go on and on and on. But you'll notice, most of those came out within four years of each other, right around '78-82. I was ten in there, so yeah, it was a hugely influential time in my life. I was one big-ass, thirsty sponge. But if I had to pick three of my favorite most gory, blood-fest movies, I'd probably recommend Peter Jackson's Dead/Alive (Braindead), which has, quite possibly, the most bodily fluids ever spilled in a movie. It's also one of the funniest movies ever. For me, anyway. Then I'd go with Cannibal Holocaust, which is excrutiating, and always leaves me a sweating, nervous wreck. Then maybe something like Doctor Butcher, M.D., just 'cause.

What about novels?

Hell, this is even harder. If you're looking for some authors that don't take any prisoners, that aren't gonna hold your hand and tell you everything is gonna be okay, that aren't fucking around... First off, Jack Ketchum's Off Season. If you like horror, and you haven't read it, then you owe yourself. Jump up right now and go get it. Actually, pretty much anything with Jack Ketchum's name on it is required reading. Then I'd have to go with Edward Lee's The Bighead. I can't describe it. I'm not even going to try. Just trust me. It's not scary exactly, but it'll test your gag reflex. I just read J.F. Gonzalez's Survivor, and it kicked my ass. And one more, even if it isn't shelved in the horror section. Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. It's flat-out brilliant.

What is it about crime and horror fiction that appeals to your writing skills?

Maybe not so much my writing skills as my sensibilities I guess, but I'd have to say that for whatever reason, I was born with this love of dark stuff. The thing about horror and crime is that they don't have to play by the rules of "traditional" or "mainstream" books. You can get away with a lot of really subversive shit. I mean, I just read Jason Starr's Fake ID. It's a first person crime novel, and when you start, since it is narrated in the the first person, you kind of automatically want to root for the character, but Starr yanks the rug out from under you. It's a lot like what Jim Thompson was doing. I guess, in these kinds of books, you have an opportunity to examine these awful people, the kinds of characters that most popular fiction shies away from. Hell, I don't know. Bottom line, it's FUN.

So many classic horror flics are being remade- A Nightmare On Elm Street, Night Of The Demons- the list goes on. What is your take on classics being remade?

Well, you gotta remember that filmmaking is a business, first and foremost. Pretty much every single decision is made with an eye toward the bottom line. That said, I try not to get too upset when I hear that they're planning to remake one of my favorite movies of my youth. I mean, look at my list a few questions back-- damn near every single movie I listed has either been remade or is in the planning stages. When I first heard that they were going to remake Dawn of the Dead, I was fucking furious. But when I had a chance to calm down, I realized that the original will still be available, so no big deal. And hell, I thought the Dawn remake was kinda cool. I hope they'll do a good job with the Escape From New York remake, but whether it is or isn't, hey, I can always still pop in my DVD of the original. And I think it's important to not be a hypocrite here; I mean, let's be honest--John Carpenter's The Thing is a remake. So is Cronenberg's The Fly. So is Friedkin's Sorcerer. Same with Scorsese's The Departed. And even Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs, even if he won't admit it. So I'm not against remakes exactly, I'm just sick of bad filmmaking. That piece of shit remake of The Fog comes to mind, you know? So yeah, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious about the Nightmare on Elm Street remake, and frankly, I'm fired up about the Piranha 3D remake. Bring it on.

How do your students react to your accomplishments?

I don't think it's a big deal to them. In the Fiction Department at Columbia College, there's tons of teachers and professors that are published authors. Most are far more accomplished than I am. So to the students, it's pretty routine. I mean, I'm nothing special, you know? My students are the first to tease me and keep me grounded. It's a good reality check.

Jeff, wow! Where can I begin. Your brutal honesty and dark sense of humor make me smile. I can't express how much I appreciate how frank you were without a care. Some author's tend to tip-toe around and be courteous. I don't want that. I want reality. So thank you for showing that. I truly enjoyed your interview just as much as I did your novel, Foodchain. Congratulations once again on your success with both your novels and in your teachings. I hope that we can read more from you in the future.
xoxo

Alaya Dawn Johnson Interview

2010-09-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

You may recognize Alaya's name from earlier this year when I reviewed her novel Moonshine. She so graciously has since allowed me this interview. So let's see what this beautifully talented authoress has to say.

What inspired you to become a writer?

I can't remember exactly when I decided I wanted to be a writer, but I was definitely younger than six, because I attempted my first novel at the age of seven. I've been writing pretty much continuously ever since, with varying success.

How long have you been writing for?

Twenty one years, give or take a few.

Of your work, which is your favorite, or that you hold dear for one reason or another?

Probably out of everything I've written until now, I'm most proud of a short story that ran last year in Fantasy Magazine called "A Song to Greet the Sun." Of my novels, Moonshine is probably my favorite (though that's a close call).

As an author who is your favorite to read from?

I love them for different reasons, but two of my favorite authors are Guy Gavriel Kay and Diana Wynne Jones. One writes adult fantasy and the other YA, but they're both masters of their field and consistently surprise, entertain and shock me with their prose. My other favorite writer is Dorothy Dunnett, whose Lymond Chronicles continues to have a huge influence on my writing.

What is your favorite genre?

I grew up reading fantasy voraciously, so that's probably still my biggest love. But at the moment I'm far more likely to read historicals or just straight-up literary fiction.
or your fans and readers?

Words of wisdom? Probably not, but I will say that if you like my books please visit my website ( www.alayadawnjohnson.com ) and let me know. Reader feedback is the fuel for my writerly engine--it really helps me keep going!

Can an interview possibly be considered cute? Well this one was! If her novel was intriguing, then she has since surpassed it. Thank you Alaya for allowing this interview and the opportunity to review Moonshine. Congratulations once again on the publication and continuing success in the writing field.
xoxo

Jennifer Estep Interview

2010-09-20T10:27:00.000-07:00

This year I had a great opportunity to do reviews for both of Jennifer Estep's Gin Blanco "Elemental Assain" series, Spider's Bite & Web of Lies. I also had the chance to interview her as well. Read on below to see what this talented author has to say.

It's rare anymore to see a female character without being strong in more ways than one. What are your thoughts on this?

I’ve always loved strong heroines in books, TV shows, and movies. Some of my favorite characters are Sydney Bristow from Alias, Buffy Summers from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Xena from Xena: Warrior Princess, and Wonder Woman. So I really enjoy all the strong female characters out there, and I hope folks think that my assassin character, Gin Blanco, is a good addition to the mix.

Nobody likes reading about wimpy characters, whether they’re male or female. If the fate of the world rests on your heroine’s shoulders, then she needs to know how to take care of herself and save the day. I’m not saying that she has to be a Rambo-type character, but she needs something that she can draw on to help her – whether it’s magic, weapons, or just her own street smarts. Those are the characters that I like reading about, and those kind of strong female characters are what I write about in my own books.

With that being said, how do you feel about feminism and "Grrrrl Power" and all that?

I’m all for feminism and “Grrrrl Power.” I think that women can do everything that men can do – women are just as strong, smart, and sexy as guys are, so why shouldn’t we be portrayed that way?

Is it hard writing a paranormal novel and keeping it based to one specific mythos ... werewolf, vampire, fairies, zombies etc?

Not really. I have four main types of creatures/magic users in my Elemental Assassin series – vampires, giants, dwarves, and elementals (or folks who can use one of the four elements, which are Air, Fire, Ice, and Stone). So I’ve got a lot of different magic and powers to play around with in the series.

I also have another urban fantasy series in the works, as well as a young adult series. The magic system in both of those is different from the Elemental Assassin series. For me, half the fun of writing a novel is coming up with new powers and problems for my various heroines. I have a different system in each series, so when I get tired of one, I can always go write in another world that I’ve created.

Do you ever use your stories as a sense of therapy? Such as getting revenge on someone via the novel? Or anything like that?

Not really. Although the one thing that I really enjoy about writing Gin Blanco is that she gets to do and say whatever she wants to – whether it’s being a smartass to someone that she shouldn’t or taking out a bad guy. She’s just a really fun character to write in that respect. Gin can say and do things that I would never dream of doing!

You have two current series, "Elemental Assassins" and "Bigtime." What is the diversity between the two?

My Elemental Assassin series is urban fantasy, and the books focus on Gin Blanco, an assassin codenamed the Spider. Titles in the series are Spider’s Bite (which came out in February), Web of Lies (coming out on May 25), and Venom (due out on Sept. 28).

My Bigtime series is paranormal romance, and the books feature sexy superheroes, evil ubervillains, and smarty, sassy gals looking for love. Titles in the series are Karma Girl, Hot
Mama, and Jinx.

Basically, the Elemental Assassin books are much, much darker and grittier than my Bigtime books, which are really comic book spoofs/romances.

Have you ever thought of crossing the two? Or would that not work?

I do this a little bit now. In each one of my Elemental Assassin books, I try to give at least one a little shoutout to my Bigtime books as well. For example, in Spider’s Bite, I mention that someone is wearing a Fiona Fine suit – Fiona happens to be a fashion designer/superhero in my Bigtime series.

I think that casually dropping in characters like that is a little treat for all my Bigtime fans out there, and it’s a lot of fun for me too. ;-)

How do you accomplish a scheduled time frame for a novel?

I have a day job so I do my writing at nights and on the weekends. I write a rough draft pretty quickly, usually in about three weeks, just getting the words down as fast as I can. Then, I let the book sit for a while before going back and seeing if the story holds together and what changes need to be made. Then, I start working on a second draft. Once that’s done, I go back through it and see what changes need to be made. I usually do this about three or four times before I have a finished book. It can take anywhere from two to six months, depending on how busy I am with various projects.

Is it easy coming up with character names? What is the process in doing so for you?

This is pretty easy for me. First of all, I think about the names that I’ve used already and make sure that I don’t repeat any of those, at least not for a main character. Sometimes, I’ll look up names online to see what their meanings and origins are and see what might fit my story. But basically, once I have my character in mind, I just sit down and come up with a name for them – something cool and catchy that fits the story.

You have a crazzzzzzzzy tour schedule for 2010. It must be exhilarating. What parts of your tours do you look forward to the most?

My schedule isn’t really that crazy – I try to go to a few conferences every year. The best part of any conference is just interacted with folks – readers, authors, and industry professionals – because we’re all there for the same reason. We love books – reading them, writing them, and talking about them.

How have you coped being around so many great colleagues? (Cope may not be the right word feel free to do a substitution!!) Is it numbing? Like you just can't believe it's happening still?

There are so many great writers out there. It’s always very humbling whenever I go to a convention and get to meet someone whose books I’ve loved for years. I’ve signed books in the same room as folks like Nora Roberts and Debbie Macomber – it really is an honor just to be in the same room with best-selling authors like that.

Thank you Jennifer for this insightful and fun interview with you. I truly enjoyed the Elemental Assassin series. I can't wait for Venom this month. Hopefully Mab Monroe gets a beat down!! Congratulations once again on all of your publication success to date, as well as your up coming urban fantasy series. Thanks again for the review, gifts, and interview opportunities you have so kindly allowed.
xoxo

ARC UPDATE

2010-09-15T13:26:00.000-07:00

Readers just another update for myself to keep track of ARC's I currently need to read and the ones on their way.

Currently Reading:
Darkborn - Alison Sinclair
Moonlight Bleu - Renee Rearden

Need to Read:
Dogfood - David Moody
Past Midnight - Mara Purnhagen
Lightborn - Alison Sinclair
We Were Here - Matt De La Pena
Down Among The Dead Men - Robert Gregory Browne
Red-Headed Stepchild - Jaye Wells
The Mage In Black - Jaye Wells
Hunted By The Others - Jess Haines
The Windup Girl - Paolo Bacigalupi

ARC's Coming In The Mail:
Mermaid - Carolyn Turgeon

Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey

2010-09-13T15:29:00.000-07:00

The action and romance continue as the Drake family faces a new vampire with a 200-year-old grudge

As the clans gather for Helena's royal coronation as the next vampire queen, the rifts left over from Lady Natasha's reign are slowly beginning to heal. But a new common enemy-Leander Montmartre-has a thirst for power that must be stopped before he destroys the newfound peace they've just begun to enjoy. With their new status as vampire royalty, it's up to the Drake family to unite the clans against him.
That includes Isabeau St. Croix, who is intent on confronting Montmartre's top lieutenant, Greyhaven, the evil British earl who left her for dead centuries ago when he turned her into a vampire. But after meeting Logan Drake-a vampire whose kiss is as sweet as the revenge she seeks-she'll have put her own mission aside to fight for the common cause.
This second adventure in the Drake Chronicles, has all the same butt-kicking action and heart-pounding romance that readers loved in Hearts at Stake, as well as exciting new revelations about the vampire dynasties to keep readers coming back for more.

So this is the continuation into the Drake Chronicles series. In the front of this novel there is a Drake family tree. I actually wished that it had been included in the front of book one as well to give the readers a heads up on the family lineage. I also didn't realize that Connor & Quinn were twins. Maybe I read over that info in Hearts At Stake?

I was disappointed that the story wasn't focused on Solange like I had expected it to be. However I do like the fact you get to know more on her eccentric brother Logan. I also enjoyed the prologue of Isabeau's history. A good thing for new readers is that the author recapped Hearts At Stake making it easy for people to follow. There was one section with a Marie Antoinette flashback that I enjoyed as well.

Some of the French terminology should have been translated or had a reference guide to in the back. The Montmartre/Greyhaven battle had an enormous intensity and impact on the end of this novel. It clearly set the pace for book three. However with the resolution of Montmartre and I am wondering what's in store for book three. Hopefully it is a Connor & Quinn conjoined novel that tells their story intertwiningly. Most of all though, I am hoping for the Nicholas & Lucy one! Does she get turned? Or does she live a human life to the end of her days with Nicholas???

Favorite Quotes:

"I don't know what it said about me that it kind of turned me on that she could probably kick my ass if she wanted to."

"Sense doesn't have a lot to do with being a man."

Once again I would like to thank both Alyxandra Harvey for writing these awesomely kick-ass novels, and to Kate Lied who so kindly sent them to me when she didn't have to do so.
xoxo

Hearts At Stake by Alyxandra Harvey

2010-08-30T20:33:00.000-07:00

This was an Arc that was unavailable when I had made my request. Shortly after I was offered an oppotunity that had expired before I even had a chance to reply. That said, it was clear to me the potential of this new series was going to be way more popular than expected. Thankfully Kate Lied, publicity assistant with Bloomsbury publishing, offered to send me Hearts At Stake (#1) and Blood Feud (#2) in the Drake Chronicles due to the inconvenience.

This was another of my featured novels in August's "Zombies Vs Vampires" theme. Not only was the book so great, but it was extremely fast paced and I didn't want to put it down. Although the story is written based on the Drake family, and this one mostly on Solange Drake, I was more drawn to Lucy & Nicholas's characters. Lucy especially overshadows Solange and it made it feel like the characters should have been flip flopped? Alyxandra Harvey has created such a detailed family lineage with the Drake family vampires that it makes it easy to follow the story without any forms of confusion.

I actually felt that while reading it there was a sense of modern-day poetry with a retro feel. I think with such creativity in the way it is written that it allows the audience of readers to vary in age ranges without being too kitschy and even too kiddy. The ending was of the sort that compels the reader of a hunger to continue such a fun and thrilling journey with the Drake family vampires...and even my girl Lucy!
xoxo

Hater by David Moody

2010-08-27T07:01:00.000-07:00

SOCIETY IS ROCKED BY A SUDDEN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF VIOLENT
assaults on individuals. Christened "Haters" by the media, the attackers strike without warning, killing all who cross their path.
As a hundred random attacks become a thousand, then hundreds of thousands, it soon becomes clear that everyone, irrespective of race, class, or any other difference, has the the potential to become a victim- or a Hater.
People are afraid to go to work, afraid to leave their homes, and increasingly, afraid that at any moment their friends, even their closest family, could turn on them with ultra-violent intent. Waking up each morning, no matter how well defended, everyone, must now consider the fact that by the end of the day, they might be dead. Or become a killer themselves. As the status quo shifts, "ATTACK FIRST, ASK QUESTIONS LATER" becomes the order of the day...only, the answers might be far different than what you expect...
In the tradition of H.G. Wells and Richard Matheson, Hater is one man's story of his place in a world gone mad- a world infected with fear, violence and HATE.

This was a novel published a few years back. I contacted David in hopes of reviewing the novel. It took many months before I got my hands on it. David tried helping me and I contacted the publisher with no word. Luckily I was resourceful and used my previous contact of Katy Hershberger via Thomas Dunne Books who actually sent me the copies of Hater and Dog Blood. Without her help I wouldn't have been able to make the reviews possible.

The first thing that I want to say about this novel is that Guillermo Del Toro is turning it into a movie. Most people know him from Pan's Labryinth. I really enjoy his work and know that he will give the movie the credit it deserves. Another thing I would like to mention is the fact one of my previous reviews gave Hater a plug- David Wellington, another amazingly talented author.

This novel was an intense page turner from page 1 to page 281. I think of the book as a "Fight Club" on steroids. There's even a small, minute Alfred Hitchcock feel towards the end as well. My favorite sections were the Hater stories. Although they were my favorite stories, I am not sure which Hater side I'm on. Either way, I'm a Hater, as are you and everyone else! This is a definite must read trilogy with books one and two currently in stores and book three on it's way.

Thanks again to David and Katy both for allowing me the opportunity to experience and review such a phenomenal piece of work. I can't wait to begin Dog Blood tonight.
xoxo

Blindsided by Priscilla Cummings

2010-08-27T05:01:00.000-07:00

In many ways, Natalie O'Reilly is a typical fourteen-year-old girl. An excellent student, she has many good friends and a family who loves her. But a routine visit to the eye doctor produces devastating news: Natalie will lose her sight within a short time.
Suddenly her world is turned upside down. Natalie is sent to a school for the blind to learn skills such as Braille and how to use a cane. Outwardly, she does as she's told; inwardly she hopes for the miracle that will free her from a dreaded life of blindness. But the miracle does not come, and Natalie untimately must confront every blind person's dilema. Will she go home to live scared? Or will she embrace the skills she needs to make it in a world without sight? Her decision does not come easily.

Still another ARC I had requested and Priscilla had sent me, along with an upcoming interview. This novel is geared to ages 10 and up. It is written in their pov as well, although it has a deeper adult feelining as well. One cool thing the author features in the back of the book is a Braille guide to help decipher some of the captions in the story.

As I read the story I had conflicting emotions. The characters blaise sense of humor to their conditions, with my outsider view- not out of pity, but I felt more of an aggravation that anyone should have to be in the position of being blind.

There were so many scenes that stuck out in this story. One of them that stuck out most with me was the scene with Arnab and Natalie on the bench. It was heartbreaking and the compassion between the two was so intimate in the not so typical way that it made me emotional. This was the scene that began the flow of all of the sad events to come throughout the novel.

I began to look out for, and notice the various Braille signs and plaques in my own community, throughout the time that I was reading this story. When I did encounter it I was highly appreciative for it. Before I was simply indifferent. This novel was an eye-opener for me and has brought about a great enlightenment towards the blind community.

Favorite quotes:
"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, or even touched- they must be felt with the heart." - Helen Keller

"The thing was, if you wanted to survive you had to keep going...Even when it hurt. Sometimes...you had to walk around the holes in your life, instead of falling through them."
xoxo

Water Ghosts by Shawna Yang Ryan

2010-08-27T04:11:00.000-07:00

A MESMERIZING TALE THAT WEAVES HISTORY AND MYTHOLOGY AROUND A COMMUNITY OF CHINESE IMMIGRANTS AND THE GHOSTS THAT HAUNT THEM.

Locke, California 1928. Three bedraggled Chinese women appear out of the mist in a small Chinese farming town on the Sacramento River. Two are unknown to its residents, while the third is the long-lost wife of Richard Fong, the handsome manager of the local gambling parlor. Left behind in China many years earlier, her unexpected arrival throws his already complicated life into upheaval. As the lives of the townspeople become inextricably intertwined with the newly arrived women, a premonition foretells a deep unhappiness for all involved. And when a flood threatens the village, the frightening power of these mysterious women is finally revealed.

This was another ARC I had requested. Shawna has allowed me the opportunity to review and interview her work. Originally I thought this was a debut author novel. In actuality it is a re-release under a new title. Previously the book was published in 2007 as Locke 1928. The cover image above is of the original publication, not of the one I was sent.

The lack of quotations during character conversations made this a hard novel to read for me. I was driven to read this because of the Asian culture that I am so intrigued by. The novel doesn't fall short on rich, cultural history. There were so many characters and stories intertwined amongst flash-backs. I think this was another thing that made it a difficult read for me.

There was one particular scene between the characters Alfred & Chloe. As I read it, it was so close to being like the shopping scene with Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. I don't know if that was an inspiration or simply just a coincidence.

Upon completion of Water Ghosts I am still confused if the women on the boat were ghosts of a mental or physical apparitions? While I am not putting down the novel, I think that if the book was written in a different aspect I could have enjoyed it more to its capacity I am sure it was meant to be. Thanks again to Shawna for allowing me to review this story and interview her as well.
xoxo

The Feathered Serpent by Junius Podrug

2010-08-19T08:59:00.000-07:00

December 21, 2012

The fabeled Feathered Serpent, harbinger of the apocalypse, has begun his relentless ascent out of the bowels of the earth.
Beautiful astrobiologist and archaeologist Caden Montez is on his trail. Caden is in Teotihuacan, the ancient ruin she believes is the best site on earth to find evidence of visitation by aliens in ancient times. While exploring the "City of the Gods"- a place so eerie it terrified even the most ferocious Aztecs-she discovers that the Serpent has broken free of its two-thousand-year entombment.
Ancient Mayan priests prophesied that when the Feathered Serpent returned, he would open the gates to the End Time.
The Mayans's Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse is on the move, and humanity's survival hangs in the balance. Caden must stop the beast and is helped by someone who had once battled it: Tah-Heen, a champion in the gladitorial ball courts where the "game of life and death" was played- and the loser sacrificed- two-thousand-years ago.
A stranger in a strange land when a secret program brings him across the gulf of time, Tah-Heen teams with Caden to battle the diabolical foe that destroyed an entire civilization-and has come back with a vengeance.
History, mystery, cutting-edge science, and suspense unfold as the scientist and the warrior battle a preternatural beast that is intent upon bringing about the 2012 apocalyptic vision.

This was another ARC request that I had asked for. Junius so kindly sent it to me and autographed it as well. As I began to read it, the first chapter made me recall my childhood ambition of becoming an archaeologist "when I grow up." The story makes me think of X-Files meets the History Channel. The chapter/book set up makes it an easy and enjoyable read for anyone.

There was a portion where the author actually noted a reference to his previous novel, which I think was a great idea for any one unfamiliar with any of his novels. It features a whole load of historically educational flashbacks. I liked the fact that Tah-Heen had a background story (which was a good portion of the novel). Tah-Heen's character is written with such a great combination of humor and naive-ity. The combining of Tah-Heen's story with present day meshed quite well without causing the reader any forms of confusion.

Not only was the story educational, but it also was ecologically and conservationally, (If that's even a word), thought provoking. The Feathered Serpent is another novel I would recommend to any historical or historical fiction fans out there. As I read this book everyone kept claiming, "I loved the movie!" I do believe that this is NOT the novel based off the Nicholas Cage movie. Correct me if I'm wrong, I'm just not wanting any of my readers to assume it is, read the novel and be upset for the confusion.

xoxo

My Ultimate Sister Disaster by Jane Mendle

2010-08-19T08:31:00.000-07:00

Franny, 14, thinks her older sister got the better deal. Zooey is a beautiful, statuesque ballerina with a cool name. Franny is not quite five feet tall, has no talent for anything, hair that never cooperates, and, let's face it, a horrible name (the girls' parents discussed J. D. Salinger's work on their first date). Though they were close as children, the sisters now spend little time together and argue when they're in the same room. With their anthropologist mother in Kenya and their father spending long hours working in his clothing store, Franny feels more alone than ever. When Zooey breaks her leg during rehearsals for a career-making role and is homebound for weeks, the sisters get to know one another all over again. It turns out that Zooey's life isn't so perfect. There are many elements to this novel, but ultimately the story is about sisters and misconceptions. Franny is immediately likable and sympathetic, and Zooey's diva-tude is conveyed perfectly, as is her gradual regression to typical teen when she's sidelined from dancing. Fans of Sarah Dessen and Deb Caletti will enjoy this lighter tale of teen drama.

This was another ARC request. I enjoyed the ease and flow of the chapters. It made the book very easy to read. This novel brought to mind my own recollections of sibling rivalry and various pointless arguments with my own parents, among other aspects of my own teenage years.

My Ultimate Sister Disaster is the type of book that tweens and teens alike would select from their school book orders or even book fairs. The story did jump around at certain points from one topic to another. However the age group it is geared for, I think, will be oblivious to this and will not affect their opinion on the novel itself. Overall I enjoyed this quick and relaxing read.

Favorite quote:
"Life sort of gets out of hand when everything and everyone in it has to be special."

xoxo

The Loving Dead by Amelia Beamer

2010-08-19T08:20:00.000-07:00

Kate and Michael, twenty-something housemates working at the same Trader Joe's supermarket, are thoroughly screwed when people start turning into zombies at their house party in the Oakland Hills. The zombie plague is a sexually transmitted disease, turning its victims into shambling, horny, voracious killers.

Thrust into extremes by the unfolding tragedy, Kate and Michael are forced to confront the decisions they've made, and their fears of commitment, while trying to stay alive. Michael convince Kate to meet him in the one place in the Bay Area that's likely to be safe and secure from the zombie hordes: Alcatraz. But can they stay human long enough?

This was yet another ARC request. And another of my zombie reviews for Zombies vs Vampires. The Loving Dead without any doubt in my mind puts a new trend on a majorily outdated genre. Amelia weaves many aspects into the story without jeopardizing its entirety: Ikea, lesbian zombies joining the mile high club on a Zeppelin, economic crises, iPhones, Indiana Jones iPhone whip application, Halo, Alcatraz, Jenna Jameson, and so many more tangible things (well...excluding lesbian zombies).

The time frame of the final chapter frustrated me at first. Because I expected further details. In the end, however, I was happy with the results. This is a novel I'd recommend to any of my friends and fellow avid readers.

Favorite quotes:
"Gay guys, they got it easy. Everybody knows they're gay: they're the only guys who style their hair and when they check each other out, you know what they're thinking."

"Fighting the zombie apocalypse with whips & gags seriously. They obey whips. Also the iPhone Indiana Jones app. Worth a dollar."

"Every relationship will fail until one doesn't. So I've heard."

"I'd just about murder someone to be held."

xoxo

The Vampire And The Virgin by Kerrelyn Sparks

2010-08-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

Her packing list:
SUNSCREEN
BATHING SUIT
FLIP-FLOPS

His packing list:
SYNTHETIC BLOOD
MORE SYNTHETIC BLOOD
JOGGING CLOTHES
(because even vamps have to stay in shape!)

FBI psychologist Olivia Sotiris is looking for a cool ocean breeze, sand between her toes, and a break from her crazy, chaotic, and sometimes all-too dangerous life Robby MacKay is on an enforced vacation, since all he can think about is revenge against the Malcontents who had tortured him. But when Robby meets Olivia, all he can think about is the beauty with the tempting smile...and their nights together and anything but cool...

This was another ARC I had requested. Kerrelyn sent me the book autographed and included a bookcard and a bookmark as well. This is the first of the vampire reviews for the Zombie vs Vampire reviews for August.

The first thing I liked about this novel was the fact of the bat graphics featured at the beginning of each chapter. The budding romance between Olivia and Robby urges the reader to run a red light! The hilarious sexual innuendos are just amazing. The author's sense of creativity with vampire food and beverage items: Bleer, Blisky Chocolood, Bubbly Blood, and Bleer Lite.

I did find it hard at first to decipher Robby's words. After a while tho, I did figure out what he was saying and just basically began reading it as english. I also enjoyed the featuring of Carlos being a were-jaguar and other paranormal characters.

I am unsure if this is the last book in a series, of if it's just the end to a series with unrelated characters . Either way the dilema with Casmir was never resolved. Unless the story evolves into a new one, the Casmir dilema should have been extended to a solution positively or negatively.

This was another book that as the pages came to an end that I was hesitant on the ending. Luckily it wasn't a bad ending. I really enjoyed the story. I can definitely see myself pursuing my book readings from Ms. Sparks.

Favorite quotes:
"Not all lies are bad. It is the intent to decieve that is bad."

"The language of love doesn't have words.

"Death doesna change a person's nature."

xoxo

Dust by Joan Frances Turner

2010-08-19T07:35:00.000-07:00

It started with George Romero, but then it almost always does. Friday night, October sometime in the mid-1990s, and the original 1968 Night of the Living Dead was the only thing on television. I'd never seen it and had no particular interest in zombies, but the only alternative was my contracts law textbook so why not? And from the moment poor doomed Johnny solemnly intoned "They're coming to get you, Bar-buh-rah!", the movie had me, and it kept me, and the ending was a punch in the gut. The grainy black and white, the clumsy acting, the slapdash storyline and foolish self-destructive characters and almost nonexistent special effects weren't deterrents, they were the whole point. It all looked like ancient footage from some amateur documentary, and real people act foolish at the worst possible times. I never saw the remake, or any of the sequels: It wasn't the idea of zombies, themselves, that had me, it was that particular story. I didn't seek out any other.

Flash forward to 2003, and Carnival of Souls. More cheap black and white, shot on a shoestring in the middle of nowhere, and when Mary Henry's hand emerged from the depths of a Kansas lake long after she should have drowned they had me, again. Were those technically zombies, though, or were they ghosts? It had to be the former, for no ghost appears in the flesh as she did, walks among the living almost but not quite one of them, inspires their unwitting yet visceral disgust: They could, so to speak, smell the decay all inside her. That fascinated me, as did the titular carnival at the Saltair Pavilion. Zombies like to dance, it turns out, to eerie, calliope-style music that seems to come from nowhere. Interesting.
What George Romero started Herk Harvey finished, and I couldn't get zombies, themselves, out of my mind. They were ubiquitous, actually, when you started paying attention, but the more I learned about zombies and the popular imagination the duller and less satisfying it all was. Zombies, it turned out, were nothing but a joke. Talk funny. Walk funny. Ugly. Smelly. Filthy. Can't speak English right. Eat disgusting food. Spread disease. Mentally inferior. Lights on, nobody's home. They'll steal and devour everything you hold dear, including yourself. Shoot them. Kill them. Cleanse the earth of their kind. It's a moral imperative.

I was urged at every step, in this particular mythology, to ally myself with The Good Guy, the clean upright English-speaking human alpha male and his ragtag gun-toting buddies who were making the world safe for the One True Species, one bullet-riddled skull at a time. The hell with that. Zombies--actually, Jessie's absolutely right, let's dispense with that misappropriated West African word--the undead are nothing but people who died. Your mother, "Good" Guy, your spouse, your sibling, your child, your friend, your neighbor, you yourself, and what if you only think they're all monsters? What if dead people still have minds of their own, can laugh and fight and form friendships and love each other and grieve--and kill, as you do, for malice and sport as much as from hunger? What if the moans and groans you hear are an actual language? What if the undead have a "life" span, slowly aging and decaying and crumbling into dust just as inert bodies do in the coffin? What if the creature in your crosshairs still remembers you, loves you, can't plead for what you once were to each other before you pull the trigger?

(For that matter, what if your incredibly tedious guns don't even do the job? That's the first determination I made when I sat down to write Dust, that there would be no Deus Ex Firearms whatsoever. Fire itself, that'd work to kill them, but then fire has the disadvantage of spreading like, well, wildfire. As does bio-weaponry, but then we're getting ahead of ourselves.) If Dust could be summed up in one sentence, it would be a lyric from Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd: "The history of the world, my sweet, is who gets eaten and who gets to eat." It presupposes a world where the living dead are not some new aberration but have existed alongside the humans they once were for thousands of years, an uneasy harmony occasionally broken up by unfortunate incidents such as, say, the famous Pittsburgh Massacre of '68. Other elements came into play: the Greek myth of Erysichthon, which haunted me since I first read it as a child, about a man the gods punish for his hubris with a hunger so insatiable he ultimately devours...himself. Luc Sante's beautiful, unsentimental prose poem "The Unknown Soldier," in which the forgotten dead assert their right to speak for themselves. The eerie photographs and morbid newspaper clippings from Michael Lesy's Wisconsin Death Trip. The unsettling banjo music in the end credits of the cult horror film The Last Broadcast, which inspired the notion that the undead express their strongest emotions through telepathic music: "brain radios." That and eerie waltzes in Carnival of Souls inspired the spontaneous psychic dances, the only moments of true peace and harmony the undead ever enjoy.

Eating, in this world, is identity: The living eat dead meat. The dead eat meat so recently living that it's still warm and pulsing with life. The dead find the living's dietary habits as abominable, disgusting, taboo as the reverse. Every human alive, in our world as well as theirs, pins a far greater part of their self-image than they realize on what goes into their mouths. It was a joke then that Jessie, the fervent vegan in life, began a ravenous flesh-hunter in death, and yet it was also entirely to be expected.

Armed with the facts--such as they were--in September 2003 I jotted down a sparse page of disjointed notes: character names, story locales (the Calumet Region of northwest Indiana, besides being my easily accessible home geography, was both underserved in fiction and had enough urban-suburban-rural-industrial variety to make it interesting), a little folkloric rhyme the undead liked to sing amongst themselves but never made it into the book. The slang--"hoo" for humans, "rotter" and "feeder" and "bloater" and " 'maldie" for each other--also came early because it was fun to think up. Jessie simply walked in right at the start and announced herself, an angry, lonely girl abused in life, abandoned in death, yearning for love and acceptance but furious at the world. It was inevitable she'd take instantly to the jarring, aggressive, insatiably hungry culture of the undead, also inevitable that she'd write off her human family entirely only to have them return to be her undoing. Joe started as a parody, one of those "teen angel" hoods-with-a-heart-of-gold from the fifties pop songs who dies in a drag race gone wrong, and then he surprised me by showing himself as lonely and yearning as Jessie, if not more so, under the brutal surface. It was inevitable, again, that they'd both fall in love. Florian, a literal walking skeleton, was always meant to be the paterfamilias of Jessie's surrogate family, but I never expected him to turn out gentle, genuinely wise, the only true parent she ever really had.

Actually they all surprised me, as I worked little by little on draft one, draft two, draft three through 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007. Renee, the lamb thrown into a pit of snarling wolves, grew up amazingly fast and became not just Jessie's friend, but her ally. Linc--only kindhearted from Jessie's perspective, no human would want to run into him--was supposed to be merely Joe's foil, the "geek" to his "jock," but then quietly, stubbornly, relentlessly worked his way up from the margins of the story to the center. Teresa, the gang leader, was even more selfish and cruel that I'd imagined. (The rival gang the Rat Patrol were exactly as selfish and cruel as I'd imagined, so at least I had some control over the proceedings.) Lisa, Jessie's neurotic mess of a human sister, proved she could be there for Jessie in death as she never was in life. Jim, her brother, began as the most cardboard sort of villain, missing only a mustache to twirl, then I remembered that the truest antagonists are those who genuinely believe they're acting out of kindness and love. Only when Jim tried to "save" Jessie, did it become clear how much he--like all Good Guys--utterly feared and despised what she'd become. Death him/her/itself, the trickster, the demon, the angel, the destroyer, the salvager, was there from the beginning, though he didn't announce himself right away to me any more than to Jessie: Like any trusting parent, he first and foremost wanted to let his undead children try and fend for themselves.

Since the first inspiration for Dust was a pair of B-movies, other midnight drive-in fixtures seemed entirely appropriate: The meteor that causes extraterrestrial chaos upon landing. The semi-secret laboratory with "noble" purpose gone horribly wrong. The pandemic plague--but why just consider what would happen if the living became undead, why not consider what might happen if the undead were brought back to life? Untouchable life, even? What if Death the trickster, in his eagerness to consume the earth, thus ultimately ended up tricking himself?

It's all well and good to talk about Herk Harvey and banjos and falling meteors, but what truly inspired Dust was of course my own fear of death. There's another song, by the musician Exuma, that embodies it: "You won't go to heaven, you won't go to hell/You'll remain in your graves with the stench and the smell." What if the "afterlife" took place right on earth, and you rotted slowly, inexorably, feeling the first bugs nest and hatch on your body? What if you actually had to watch your loved ones grieving you, as Jessie and Renee both did, and be yards away and yet an eternity removed, unable now to be anything to them but a monster? What if pain, fear, longing, grief, the hungers of the body don't stop when life stops? What if Death isn't an angel of mercy, but a real live son of a bitch?

As it turns out, then, for me as for everyone else the undead were an embodiment of fear. But they surprised me, yet again, by becoming embodiments of hope as well. Life doesn't end after death, not really. To become something new, alien, unimagined, is not to lose oneself, one's identity and thoughts and needs and wants, they just express themselves a little differently. Nobody's lost to anyone forever; if there is no afterlife, there is at least the "eternity" of memory. To lose one family is to gain another. Betrayal by loved ones can lead to new, stronger bonds that are about real trust. Nearly everyone's stronger and more capable than they imagine, when put to the test. Flesh is just flesh and if it rots, well, that's only natural.

But that's all very Hallmark Hall of Fame and ultimately it was also about having some fun whistling in the graveyard. Dust was a chance to play with all sorts of notions of life and death: ordinary mortal existence, living consciousness trapped in dead decaying bodies, seemingly "live" flesh rotting and dying from the inside out, invulnerable immortality through the back door. As Jessie says, "How many kinds of living and dead and living dead and dead living had I been in just these few months, these few days, after the stasis of plain old human living and dying? I deserved some kind of existential medal." Tell me about it, it was hard to keep up. It also felt like finding the pulse of something real, and true, about life and death under all the campiness of traditional zombie mythology. Both the B-movie folklore and the insomniac anxieties inspired the book in equal measure, and both deserve their due. It starts with a silly story, some actors shuffling around sideways in worn-out clothes, and ends with real people, real fears, real hopes. But then, it almost always does.
--Joan Frances Turner (taken from Amazon.com)

This was an ARC I had requested which turned out to be a traveling ARC. This is also a part of my Zombie vs Vampire month of reviews. I think that Joan has a great twist on zombie fiction. This was told from the zombie pov. The role reversal makes the reader sympathize more with the zombies than the humans. She manages to give the zombies a "life" and personality.

It took me a while to get through the novel. There was parts where it seemed monotanous and never ending but in the end I did appreciate the fact Joan so kindly gave me the opportunity for this review. I think because of my lack of zombie experience my review, IMO, seems biased. Although I would like to say that if you're a die hard undead fan, as many of my friends are, you will appreciate Joan's magical journey into the mind and "life" of these undead characters and the society they manage to make for themselves.

Favorite quotes:
"...but I was tired and my bullshit tank was down to fumes."

"I hate people who can make you feel guilty when they've pissed you off..."

xoxo

Dead Set Anthology (edited) by: Joe McKinney & Michelle McCrary

2010-08-19T06:57:00.000-07:00

The Dead Have Risen!

We were once a race seven billion strong. But today, our world has become a wasteland overrun by the living dead. Rivers of zombies flood the streets. They never rest. They never relent. Their hunger for the living is insatiable. And with every careless mistake we make, their numbers swell.

Scenes from the end of the world...

Michelle McCrary and Joe McKinney have brought together twenty original tales of the end of our world from horror's brightest talents. Within these pages you'll find a madman longing for the good old days of Hometown America, a company that deals in the dead, a radio DJ who holds the living together with her voice, and a soldier haunted by the living and the dead alike. This is the end of the world as you've never seen it before.
Featuring stories from Lisa Mannetti, Lee Thomas, Bev Vincent, Harry Shannon, David Dunwoody, Nate Southard, Boyd E. Harris, and a host of others, Dead Set will take you on a guided tour through the ruins. The zombie story has finally come of age.

This was a first for me. I haven't done an anthology review yet. This is also the start of August's Zombie vs Vampire month.

Resurgam by Lisa Manneti:
I would have liked the story to focus on Auden & Sheri or Cruncher & Sykes or just have the past & present come together more fluidly. Also, you have no clue what happened to Sheri?

Jailbreak by Steven W Booth & Harry Shannon
This was a fun read. It was written iin a John Carpenter style.

Recess by Rob Fox
A new twist on zombies. Occasionally you see zombie children featured in film and novels. But never soley focused on them like this story.

Biting The Hand That Feeds You by Carrie Voorhis
Hilarious. Morbid. Sad.

Judgement by Stephanie Kincaid
Almost seemed lik you weren't going to read anything about any undead. The ending was very abrupt.

Hatfield the Usurper by Matthew Louis
Read like a movie. Favorite quote: "He could almost smell the waft off the pages of a newly opened paperbac, almost see the typeface racked up in wonderful rows and clumped in intoxicating paragraphs..."

Ruminations From Tri-Omega House by David Dunwoody
Good story, I likedthe Richard Matheson reference. But it wasn't explained- did Prof. Rand bite Larry before the story began? When Rand was chasing Larry it didn't seem like he got to him?

Zombies On A Plane by Bev Vincent
Not much to say on this one. I didn't care for it one way or another. Like a story without a plot to it.

Category Five by Richard Jeter
Not a fan of this one either. The zombie interaction was too minimalistic for even a short story.

Survivors by Joe McKinney
Written with some action-packed intensity as Dead City (previous review). Balls to the wall fun!

Piere & Remy Hatch A Plan by Michelle McCrary
Good "ol' fashioned" zombie story y'all!

Recovery by Boyd E Harris
Fun but sad story. Features B rated movie sense of humor. Adopting recovering zombies almost like pets- hilarious!

In the Middle of Poplar Street by Nate Southard
Fun story but I wished the ending would have been more lengthy. Did Ginny kill the zombie? Or did the zombie kill her? Favorite quote: "...scared people get angry because they don't like being afraid, and they think it's somebody else's fault that they were so scared in the first place."

Seminar Z by J.L. Comeau
Interesting story. Unsure whether I liked or disliked it. Another story that the ending was just...

Only Nibble by Bob Nailor
I was hesitant to like this one. The last sentence was my deciding factor, What a great story.

Inside Where It's Warm by Lee Thomas
Generic and typical zombie story, with a possible half zombie/half human. I'm not quite sure but that was my take it.

Survivor Talk by Mitchel Whitington
Another great story. One that didn't have a predictable ending Background story. Zombie action that didn't jeopardize the entirety of the story.

The Zombie Whisperer by Steven E Wedel
Fun, psychological twist. A definite entertaining read.

Good Neighbor Sam by Mark Onspaugh
Originally started out interesting but ...zzzzzzzzzzzz!!! I had to force myself to reread it for the sake of this review to get a more accurate opinion. The second time around it reminded me of House of Wax but with zombies/ It was based in Ohio with the mention of Lancaster, my hometown.

That Which Survives- Morgan Ashe
This was an ok story. A medical twist.

Overall I really enjoyed this anthology. Some of the stories made me wonder why I don't read more zombie fiction, while others confirmed why I do not. Those stories I think should have been omitted for the sake of the novel's entirety and substituted for some more worthy ones.

Thanks again to Joe McKinney for sending me this gift.
xoxo

Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

2010-07-30T08:09:00.000-07:00

ON THE DAY SHE WAS ABDUCTED, Annie O'Sullivan, a thirty-two-year-old realtor, had three goals-sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever-patient boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor pulls up in a van she's about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all.

But nothing could be further from the truth.

Through sessions with her psychiatrist, Annie retells the terrifying story of the year she spent captive in a remote mountain cabin. Interwoven is a second narrative recounting the aftermath of her escape and her struggle to piece her life back together.

This is another novel that is way off from my typical reads, but it looked interesting and I am thankful that Chevy allowed me to give it a shot. I originally contacted Chevy and she had her publicist send me the ARC.

This story is written based on a nightmare the author had. I can't even begin to fathom the feelings that she had, but I think that in writing this novel it had to put her at ease in some sort or another. As I began reading the story the song "Jesus Take The Wheel" by Carrie Underwood came to mind. The main character Annie has so many things that she is forced to overcome. Although Annie is fictional, her emotions and feelings portrayed throughout the story are so vivid that you're not just reading them, it's like you're feeling them yourself.

There's also a sickening reality to David's character. There are so many fucked up souls out in the real world which makes David so easily terrifying for any reader. The story is written in almost two combined novels in one. The sessions with Annie and her psychiatrist and the time after the fact ofher brutal and disturbing kidnapping. As you read, the novel weaves both points of view into one. When the pieces finally come together it was a shock at why and how Annie's events all came into play.

There were two scenes that I had taken note of. The first is the part when Annie and Luke hug. This is the first intimate moment after her tragic events. For me this scene had such an overwhelming surge of sadness. The second scene was when Gary & Annie have sex. I was particularly confused on this. I am not a victim of rape, a rapist, nor a psychiatrist. So I find it hard to believe fictional or otherwise that a rape victim would EVER want to have sex. The control thing made sense to me. The sex...not-so-much?!

If I were asked for a brief review (which we all know I don't do-often!) I would have to say this is one ROYALLY FUCKED UP novel worthy of a wonderful Lifetime movie adaptation! I thoroughly enjoyed it and it is written with such a profound no-holds-bar style of penmanship.

Favorite quotes:
"You can be as happy as you've ever been in your life, and shit is still going to happen. But it doesn't just happen. It knocks you sideways and crushes you into the ground, because you were stupid enough to believe in sunshine and roses."

"...no one is a lost cause, but I think that's bullshit. I think people can be so crushed, so broken, that they'll never be anything more than a fragment of a whole person."
xoxo

Purchase novel here:
http://www.amazon.com/Still-Missing-Chevy-Stevens/dp/0312595670/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1280502537&sr=8-1

Dead City by Joe McKinney

2010-07-29T09:02:00.000-07:00

TEXAS? TOAST.
Battered by five cataclysmic hurricanes in three weeks, the Texas Gulf Coast and half the Lone Star State is reeling from the worst devastation in history. Thousands are dead or dying-but the worst is only beginning. Amid the wreckage, something unimaginable is happening: a deadly virus has broken out, returning the dead to life-with an insatiable hunger for human flesh...

THE NIGHTMARE BEGINS
Within hours, the plague has spread all over Texas. San Antonio police officer Eddie Hudson finds his city overrun by a voracious army of the living dead. Along with a small group of survivors, Eddie must fight off the savage horde in a race to save his family...

HELL ON EARTH
There's no place to run. No place to hide. The zombie horde is growing as the virus runs rampant. Eddie knows he has to find a way to destroy these walking horrors...but he doesn't know the price he will have to pay...

This is a novel I had contacted Joe in order of doing a review. He not only sent me Dead City, but also Dead Set (a zombie anthology), a bookplate for both Dead City & Apocalypse of the Dead (Dead City sequel due out later this year). I will also be posting our interview with Joe when I begin resuming my author interviews in a few months.

This is also my first zombie review! Without a doubt this story has one intense action introduction. It was a page turner that I just didn't want to put down. The great thing about this novel- is the fact Joe weaves in all of the major contents of what a novel truly needs to make it pop! Comedy, sadness, drama, horror, action. There was not one slow point in the entire book. I was on the edge of my seat in suspenseful horror.

I can't wait for Apocalypse of the Dead to come out. I typically am not that big of a fan of zombies, but I think Joe has twisted my arm. Thanks again to Joe for allowing me this opportunity. Stay tuned next week for the Dead Set review, and details on a Joe McKinney contest for the month of August!
xoxo

A Darker Dream by Amanda Ashley

2010-07-28T13:58:00.000-07:00

HEART OF DARKNESS

In all his four hundred years, Rayven had never met a woman like Rhianna McLeod. She was a vision of light, of warmth, of everything he was not-nor could ever be. Doomed to live forever in darkness and solitude, he knew all too well the risk in getting close to her, yet he hungered for her with a fierce passion he swore he'd never allow himself to feel.

Rhianna's father had sold her to Rayven to put food on the table-so she had no choice but to go with the dark stranger. To her surprise, he gave her everything she wanted-the finest clothes, education, and the run of the castle-everything, that is, except his touch. For although she sensed danger beneath his soft-spoken manner, although even Rayven himself warned her away, she was drawn to this creature of the night, and loved him, as she would no other.

I was shopping in the store sometime early this month and as I passed the book section, I spotted Mandy's book! I couldn't pass it up so of course I bought it, adding to my ever growing collection of Amanda Ashley novels. The thing that I liked most about this story was it's historical fiction outlook. Something about former centuries lifestyles eats up my curiousity. Which is what makes this novel good, the subtle vampyrism is just the foundation of the story. It revolves more around the times and the relationship between Rhianna & Rayven than it does on vampyrism.

Rayven's compassion to save Rhianna from public embarassment is just the beginning of proof that he is not the monster he thinks of himself. He provides her with a life of any and every thing she could ever want, and even then things she couldn't even imagine! Bevins' loyalty is the counterpart of Rayven's compassion. A human who would do anything for the man, or shall I say vampyre whom saved his life.

You constantly read about male vampires, but I was so happy to read, even briefly, Mandy's female vamp Lysandra, Rayven's sire. Just as I was contemplating the relationship of cat and mouse between Rayven and Rhianna, two pages verbatim Amanda writes those exact words! Of all Mandy's vamps I've read about, Rayven seems to have the most trouble coming to terms with who and what he is. It's not the same but it comes close to Spike, Buffy the Vampire Slayer's, own personal demons. The ending was something I have hoped to read from so many vampire novels over the years, and I was finally given it!

I would have liked to read more on the wedding scene. It just seemed to short? The sex scenes were very minimal too, but in this novel it actually didn't take away from the story as you would think typical of Mandy's books. Hands down, no questions asked I of course loved this story. It has so many different things that you can find other great stories similarities: Romeo & Juliet, Beauty & the Beast, and it reminds me so much of the aura of Dark Shadows. A gothic vampire love story.

Favorite quotes:
"It was a pity that one so horribly cursed should be denied the one thing that might bring him happiness."

"I am never ill, my sweet. Only sick in mind and spirit."
xoxo

My Soul To Keep by Melanie Wells

2010-07-27T08:29:00.000-07:00

As nasty as I knew Peter Terry to be, I never expected him to start kidnapping kids. Much less a sweet, funny little boy with nothing to protect him but a few knock-kneed women, two rabbits, and a staple gun...

It's psychology professor Dylan Foster's favorite day of the academic year- graduation day. And her little friend Christine Zocci's sixth birthday. But the joyful summer afternoon goes south when a little boy is snatched from a neighborhood park, setting off a chain of events that seem to lead nowhere. The police are baffled, but Christine's eerie connection with the kidnapped child sends Dylan on a chilling investigation of her own. Is the pasty, elusive stranger Peter Terry to blame? Exploding light bulbs, the deadly buzz of a Texas rattlesnake, and the vivid, disturbing dreams of a little girl are just pieces in a long trail of tantalizing clues leading Dylan in her dogged search for the truth.

This is the third book in a trilogy by Melanie Wells that I had requested in order of doing a review for. Unfortunately the publisher didn't care to respond to my inquiries not even a "sorry we don't do this." With that being said, I think I would have been able to enjoy this novel much more had I been able to review the first two in sequential order.

The opening of this story had a bright sense of humor that was only erupted by a lightning fast kidnapping and the beginning of a sad journey of characters. As I said above, this is definitely not one of them stand alone novels. I think to fully appreciate it you would have to start at the beginning. If you do, you would probably be able to understand more on Peter Terry. Is he a ghost? Demon? Figment of Dylan's imagination? Was he real- died and is now some kind of recurring stress factor????

Aside from the hippy humor, I realized quite quickly, throughout this novel, why it is that I am so obsessed with horror novels. The thought process is this: Other types of fiction can be so closely written to reality as is this story. It makes one fearful of what can actually and what does actually happen in the real world. In horror you have that safety in knowing that as morbid and graphic as the story is you know that in all of it's glory that it is PURELY fictional. Although this story does bring out a good topic that so many people religious or otherwise like to gnaw on. Do children have the capability of seeing things adults can not? Such as evil, good, angels and demons- literal or figuratively? I feel in my own beliefs there is no doubt that they do! Children just have this innate sense of knowing things that we as adults just can't grasp.

I felt the ending was one that can just take your breath away. For me as the book was drawing to a close, I felt as that moment when you lose your breath for so long, and then it suddenly comes rushing back at you with an overwhelming force. I really like this story. I only wished I had read books one and two first. I will without a doubt do that, hopefully soon!

Thank you again to Melanie for her kindness in allowing me to do this review for her.

Favorite quotes:
"Answering machines are secretly programmed to accept only messages from people you don't want to hear from."

"Love the hair. Hope you win!"

"My soul could use a can of Comet and some elbow grease."
xoxo

Traffyck by Michael Beres

2010-07-26T07:50:00.000-07:00

In the underground of contemporary Eastern Europe lies a treacherous world contaminated by more than Chernobyl radiation and industrial waste, As communism collapsed, the foothold of social order tolerated a lurking subculture of child pornography and human trafficking, Traffyck, as they say.

A former runaway and Kiev nightclub stripper, Mariya Nemeth pulls herself from the dredges of wretchedness to attend school and marries a man she believes has abandoned his shady past. But Mariya learns her husband's past is still his present. He is murdered, a consequence of sex trade operations.

When she convinces Kiev private investigator Janos Nagy to take the case, Mariya discovers the real passion of her life, a lover immersed in the romance of Gypsy culture. Meanwhile, a world away in Chicago, Lazlo Horvath, having solved the Chernobyl Murders decades earlier, senses trouble brewing for his protege and is drawn back to his homeland.

From Chicago's Humboldt Park to the Romanian Carpathian Mountains to the bleak abandonment of Ukraine, a frightening chain of events threatens countless lives when perversion, unacceptable to civilized society, is revealed.

Savvy, outraged, and linked by ancestry, Mariya, Janos, and Lazlo pierce the underbelly of Ukraine's sex trade where power is more important than human lives.

Thanks again goes to both Michael for sending me Chernobyl Murders, Traffyck and allowing me to interview him; and to the amazing people at Medallion Press (publisher) in allowing me to do this review.

This was the sequel to my previous review posting of Chernobyl Murders. However, I must first say, I think the Gypsy tricked me. This is supposed to be a sequel to Chernobyl Murders, but in actuality the "sequel aspect" is very minimal. It is titled as a Lazlo Horvath mystery, Chernobyl Murders. Yet Lazlo is not even a main character, at least not until the last 40 some pages. The novel has the intensity of Chernobyl, but not it's appeal.

In addition to my feelings on Lazlo, I had a few other hesitations in reading this story. I was confused at why a private investigator wouldn't report murders. It wasn't explained, and you think it would have been. I also think that there was just way too many characters in this novel to make a condusive and flowing story. The story just became too jumbled with too many people and too many things going on to really allow a reader to get a grasp on what the story really is focusing on. I think that there should have been a glossary of terminology (so should have Chernobyl Murders) to allow a reader to know what various foreign words meant. For me, I don't like to take time away from the novel I am reading to do research into what the story is talking about. It takes away from the story.

Overall this book wasn't for me. I really wished it could have been as much as I enjoyed the first! However I did take away knowledge and appreciate the effort that Michael has put into this novel. So many people take books for granted anymore and I believe authors such as Michael, should be praised for the time and effort they put into creating a novel for us readers- even if we don't like the outcome of the finished product.

Favorite quotes:
"If natural disaster fails, Earth uses religion, economics, and war to cleanse itself."

"Love is a double-edged sword."

Zombies Vs Vampires

2010-07-26T07:05:00.000-07:00

Hey readers! Just wanted to drop a note....in August I have many zombie & vampire reviews I will be posting. I thought it would be fun to just use it as a theme. (I will be posting a handful of other genres as well.)

Zombie:
Dead Set Anthology - Edited by Michelle McCrary & Joe McKinney
Dust - Joan Frances Turner
The Loving Dead - Amelia Beamer
Hater - David Moody
Dog Blood - David Moody
Frankenstein - Mary Shelley

Vampire:
The Vampire & The Virgin - Kerrelyn Sparks
Hearts At Stake: The Drake Chronicles - Alyxandra Harvey
Blood Feud: The Drake Chronicles - Alyxandra Harvey
I Am Legend - Richard Matheson
The Vampire Armand - Anne Rice

As soon as July's contest ends I will update the new one. For August you will have a chance to win a book plate of the upcoming sequel to Dead City, Apocalypse of the Dead by Joe McKinney.
(Picture will be uploaded later today!)

Web of Lies by Jennifer Estep

2010-07-23T18:12:00.000-07:00

Curiosity is definitely going to get me dead one of these days. Probably real soon.

I'm Gin Blanco.

You might know me as the Spider, the most feared assassin in the South. I’m retired now, but trouble still has a way of finding me. Like the other day when two punks tried to rob my popular barbecue joint, the Pork Pit. Then there was the barrage of gunfire on the restaurant. Only, for once, those kill shots weren’t aimed at me. They were meant for Violet Fox. Ever since I agreed to help Violet and her grandfather protect their property from an evil coalmining tycoon, I’m beginning to wonder if I’m really retired. So is Detective Donovan Caine. The only honest cop in Ashland is having a real hard time reconciling his attraction to me with his Boy Scout mentality. And I can barely keep my hands off his sexy body. What can I say? I’m a Stone elemental with a little Ice magic thrown in, but my heart isn’t made of solid rock. Luckily, Gin Blanco always gets her man . . . dead or alive.

So this was the continuation in the Elemental Assasin's series. Something about this book just appears to read faster than its previous story, Spider's Bite. It even seemed as if it was written different as well. You can tell this in just the first two pages alone.

It took a chapter or so in Spider's Bite before the action began. In Web of Lies, it is instant! The great thing about Web of Lies is how Jennifer does a further story of characters touched upon in Spider's Bite, in addition to adding some new ones.

In Spider's Web I had remarked about how the culinary aspect was ..off? I feel as though I should say so in Web of Lies too. However something is different about it and it didn't seem to phase me as much this time around. Well, except for the fact this is the first novel I've read that makes my stomach growl and intrigues me at the same time.

Originally I had taken note of Roslyn, from Spider's Bite, not being featured. Just as I took note- two pages later there she is! Although she had a smaller stint in this story I was still happy to see her appear being the vampire addict that I am. I really enjoyed both the second interactions Gin (Spider) had with Jake & Macalister & Owen Grayson. I have to say I was a bit disheartened with Donovan's ending in the story. I hope he makes an appearance in Venom the third installment in the Elemental Assasins series.Speaking of Venom, I can't wait for it to come out. The excitement of Mab Monroe's possible take down by Gin's revenge is just swwwwwwwwwwwweet!

Overall I really enjoyed this novel much more than I did Spider's Bite, actually. The great thing of this series is how Estep generously recaps the previous novel. With her doing this it makes it possible to read the novels in either order. Thanks again to Jennifer for sending me both Spider's Bite & Web of Lies. This is a new and wonderful series I hope continues at a lengthy pace.

Don't forget to become a "Follower" on this blog to enter yourself into the July contest to win an autographed Jennifer Estep bookmark of your choice. I will be posting the winner August 2 along with an exciting interview with Jennifer!!!
xoxo

Rain Village by Carolyn Turgeon

2010-07-22T05:15:00.000-07:00

Young Tessa is a diminutive girl, far too small for farm work and the object of ridicule by both her own family and the other children in their isolated Midwestern community. Her father seems to believe in nothing beyond his crops, certainly not education for his misfit daughter. When a mysterious, entrancing librarian comes to town, full of fabulous stories, earthy wisdom and potions for the lovelorn, she takes Tessa under her wing, teaching her to read and to believe in herself, and a great new magical world of possibilities opens up. But even as she blooms, Tessa's father begins sexually abusing her. And then her mentor, who carries a dark secret of her own, drowns herself.

Tessa runs off, following Mary's footsteps, to join the circus as a trapeze artist, where she marries a loving man and finds a fulfilling new life for herself amid her new circus family. But she remains haunted by her past. And when a stranger from one of Mary's fabulist tales shows up, she risks everything to follow him to Rain Village where she might finally understand the meaning of her mentor's tragic secret.

Set in the early part of the 2oth century, steeped in emotional turbulence and down-to-earth wisdom, RAIN VILLAGE is an enchantment, pulling us into a world of mystery and possibility where love, friendship and loyalty might either destroy or set one free.

Although this novel came out a few years ago, before Godmother (see previous review posting) I felt compelled to do a review on it anyways. This eccentric story weaved religion, superstition and fairy tales with reality- and sometimes the reality isn't a pretty one! I think that any person faced with racism or even as an outcast will find this an empowering journey into their own psyche. There's just about every possible form of pain featured: physical abuse, sexual abuse, mental abuse...

Although the synopsis states Mary's suicide, the way the story is written you still feel like you were thrown a curve ball. This is when the story becomes interesting. Throwing you into the circus life. You get to know so many fun characters it's like meeting the cast of a real one. As I enjoyed Godmother, likewise did I enjoy this book too.

I did feel the first couple of chapters were slow flowing, but once you pushed past them you keep coming back for more. I also think the title seems a bit off? It's not until the last two or three chapters that you are really involved in Rain Village. Aside from that, this adult fairy-tale like novel is a heart warming tale of a young girl's journey to find happiness, love and most importantly a place to belong. Great summer read!

Favorite quotes:
"...People have a habit of doing that sometimes-just falling away, out of some lives and into other ones..."

"It's a good place this library. Like entering another world."

"A cup of tea can't change someone's heart, no matter how powerful the herbs in it are. But you make people believe in extraordinary things, and extraordinary things will happen."

"People try to shut out beauty wherever they can in this world, but it's a mistake."

"It is strange, how people drop out of your life, like tears. The way the whole world can shift and change, the way you can choose to remake it. Choose to become someone new."

"Love is an illusion, and there is a bitter nut at its core."

KLLRS by Phil Bowie

2010-07-21T15:52:00.000-07:00

Hotshot pilot John Hardin has a dark history.

He and his beautiful Cherokee girlfriend, Kitty Birdsong, are enjoying life in the Great Smoky Mountains when Nolan Rader, a former BATF agent, emerges from John's violent past and demands help to save his younger brother, Clint Rader from the vengeance of an outlaw motorcycle gang known as the Satan's Ghosts.

A warped genius called Brain controls the Satan's Wraiths, an elite cadre of trained hitters within the worldwide gang, and Brain is privately conducting psychological research on Clint prior to killing him.

John must agree to help Nolan Rader or face exposure about his past- and the only way to find out what he must know to save Clint Rader is to infiltrate the biker gang. This leads him down a lethally dangerous path between the law and the outlaws, ranging from Canada to the Bahamas.

As events close in and the execution draws near, can John find some way to save Clint Rader before time runs out?

This is the third installment of the John Hardin saga that I had requested ARC's from Phil Bowie published by my friends at Medallion Press. The intensity is back full force in KLLRS, as it was in Guns. Personally I think that Guns & KLLRS were the better parts of the saga (Guns, Diamondback, KLLRS). If you're not a Bowie fan, you would miss out on the Lee Child (author) reference used. The ending was the equivalent to the best 4th of July fireworks display you have ever seen. It was mildly hilarious but definitely very suspenseful.

Things I fought with in this novel were small. Such as the scene with Keller, Engle & Rader. I had anticipated a more action-packed scenario. Another thing was the Campion family, it was never really explained. Or, I read over it. It just seemed as tho' the connection between Brain and the Campion's was undefined.

Favorite quotes:
"On the TV every ten minutes there is a pill for this or a pill for that. To help you sleep or stay awake or lose weight or love your woman. Can they show me a pill that does you no harm while it tries to do you a little good?"

"Memories are a wondrous part of the great gift."

Shadow of the Moon by Rachel Hawthorne

2010-07-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

I can feel every Shifter's emotions except Daniel's- the only one whose heart I long to know.

HAYDEN was born a werewolf, a Dark Guardian. But her ability to sense the feelings of fellow werewolves has made her life unbearable. She runs away, only to be tracked by charming, mysterious Daniel, a newcomer to the pack and the one Shifter immune to her powers. As she reluctantly follows him home, Hayden finds herself falling dangerously in love...

But even as her feelings for Daniel deepen, Hayden begins to wonder if he is who he claims to be. Where did he come from and why has no one ever seen him transform? When they stumble upon the body of a Shifter still in wolf form, her worries grow. Someone is killing her kind. Is her handsome tracker really a hunter? And is Hayden his prey?

This is another ARC I had requested, unknowingly the fourth in a series. I have yet to read the first three. Upon completing them I realized if the others read like this one, you don't have to read them in order like other saga's.

I have never heard of "harvester's," but it was a welcome surprise in the story. Typically with most werewolves they're always battling the same old vampires. That generic fight I believe is getting to be played out a bit too much. I think, also, that Daniel & Hayden's beautifully, complicated relationship is similar to imprinting (Twilight) but with a different twist to it. In the Dark Guardian's saga the couples don't find their mates until their first "shifting." Even then, the couples have the option to accept or deny the mates request to be paired.

Chapter seventeen was unexpected but predicted it was a ruse for the plot of the story. One complaint I had reading this was of the Dark Guardians themselves. It was never explained what they were guardians of or for. Another problem for me was that I would have liked to have read more on the werewolves, considering it is a series revolving around them. I would honestly like to have read about the characters Rafe, Connor, Brittany, Lindsey & Kayla. Something tells me tho that the previous books were featuring them. This was a quick and thrilling read. I would definitely read the prior and hopefully latter books in this series if it continues.

Favorite quotes:
"Shoulds don't mean anything."

"I thought if you came to know me, to see what we had in common, that what was different about us wouldn't matter."

War Games: Kill Zone by Vicki Hinze

2010-07-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

Psychologist Morgan Cabot commands a special military support team that provides a unique service. While they are highly trained for military combat, their special abilities don't require training- they are gifts. Dr. Cabot and her teammates, Taylor Lee and Jazie Craig, are "highly intuitive": they hear, feel, and see things that others can't. They are the Special Abilities Team, and they function outside of normal protocol- and the American public can never know their existence.

The Secretary of Defense of the United States has called upon Cabot's team to stop Thomas Kunz, a sadistic terrorist who specializes in black market arms sales and intelligence brokering.

Kunz's brand of terrorism threatens the United States on multiple levels- his funding is infinite and his reach is global. His modus operandi, using doubles to infiltrate and gather classified information, puts him in a unique position to make the fears of every American citizen a reality.

Colonel Jackson Stern and his brother, Bruce, a biological warfare expert, have become Kunz's latest targets. When Bruce's wife is found stabbed to death, Jackson dedicates himself to a quest for the truth.

Will Morgan's team help Jackson uncover Kunz's secret plans before it is too late? Or will the most secretive terrorist organization in the world transform America into a terrifying and deadly Kill Zone?

This was a gift from Vicki that she sent along with an ARC of one of my previous reviews for her. I am not a war fan, or even a war fiction reader. However I want to thank Vicki for sending and autographing this novel. I am definitely not ungrateful for the gift. We all know how much I love to read! With that being said...

This is yet another Medallion Press novels I was happy to read for both the author and the company itself. The prologue was a bit overwhelming for me since I'm not into war. If you like terrorism, body doubles, psychological thrillers, espionage, etc, than you will enjoy this novel. I think it was a borderline novel, in my opinion, it wasn't disappointing but at the same time it wasn't that intense. (Maybe this is a biased decision on my part?)

There was a predictability factor with Laura's character which I knew from her first appearance. Chapter ten had me a bit confused. With all of the preventative security measures used throughout the novel, and Morgan's car being infested with bombs...why would Jackson and/or Morgan not think to search the rental car? Especially considering that they went off base to a non-secure location, and that they're highly trained special-op's? That just didn't make sense to me.

Taylor Lee was definitely my favorite character throughout the whole novel. She was adventurous, balls-y, and just a fun person to read about. I actually wished that Taylor was Morgan's character. Morgan was simply too blah for my tastes. The ending did leave an opening for the series to continue. Overall this book wasn't for me. Although as I stated above, if you're into war novels, this could be right up your "zone" (Pun fully intended.)
xoxo

Betwixt by Tara Bray Smith

2010-07-16T07:44:00.000-07:00

FOR THREE TEENAGERS, DARK MYSTERY HAS ALWAYS LURKED AT THE CORNERS OF THE EYES AND THE EDGE OF SLEEP.

Beautiful Morgan D'Amici wakes in her meager home with blood under her fingernails. Paintings come alive under Ondine Mason's violet-eyed gaze. Haunted runaway Nix Saint-Michael sees halos of light around people doomed to die.

At a secret summer rave in the woods, these teenagers learn of their true origins and their uncertain, intertwined destinies. Riveting, unflinching, and beautiful, Betwixt shows a world as complex and compelling as any ordinary reality.

I wonder to myself, how could I have never heard of this novel before? Betwixt was released in 2007, somehow I wasn't given the memo!! I found Tara's book online. The story had a very mysterious and intriguing appeal to it. After I had contacted Tara she so kindly went above and beyond and mailed me the novel all the way from Germany! I can't express to her my deepest gratitude and appreciation in doing so.

Of all the characters in the story, I believe my favorites would have to be Nix, K.A., Ondine & Moth.
Nix I think I liked because of our mutual Native American heritage. There also seems to be a sense of aloofness, yet hidden maturity that he doesn't find the most convenient ways to use for his benefit. K.A. just was such a cute character. The whole little brother aspect, his genuineness and ability to see the good in almost everyone. Ondine was just a mystery for me, even up until the end. Moth was a very weird character. There were so many things about him that just weren't right. Yet when it comes down to it, he is one of the more appealing, stand-out characters throughout the novel, for me! I would like to say I liked Morgan. At first I did. As the novel progressed she took a downward spiral in my top fav's.

This book was simply unparalleled (sp?) to any prior YA novels I've read, when it comes to the way the characters speak. The speech was written with such precision- in that you can read the book and in reality hear teenagers and kids talk with the exact phrases and mannerisms she (Tara) has written. In part one things slowly began to roll and you know you're set for a big adventure. Although the feeling of adventure in part one was small, it was known.

Part two catapulted into that adventure without hitting the brakes. If a book could get a speeding ticket, Betwixt should. The adventure was one that I very happily didn't expect. (It wasn't predictable...in any sense!) Part three was more of a clarification of Nix & Ondine's circumstances. Part four was almost like a preparation for an unforseen but possible battle? As for part 5, I was so intent and enthralled in finding out what happens next. Besides, it's the last section of the book it's not fair to give the "ending" away. This is definitely another book, hands down, that I can't wait to start the sequel.

Favorite quotes:
"They'd never had jobs. They didn't know what five hours of wiping steamed milk off every conceivable flat surface, including the ceiling, felt like. Cleaning toilets stuffed with tampons, making a macchiato four times for an eleven-year-old punk and his yuppie Medusa of a mother because he 'hadn't gotten it the way he likes it at home.' Spoiled brats."

"Neither brother and sister, nor Romeo & Juliet, but lovers all the same. It was as if they had found their other half, the wing that allowed each to fly."

"Yes, Dorothy, there are good witches. And bad witches. And ones who are fucked up."

Plain Kate by Erin Bow

2010-07-15T19:15:00.000-07:00

THE DRIZZLE HAD BROKEN INTO PATCHES AS THEY WALKED. As Drina scooped up the pale sand, Kate found herself standing in the smudge of shadow cast by the deadfall. She had never before noticed the way shadows gave things weight, made them look heavy and real and connected to the ground. Without hers...
She edged into the light.
Her shadow looked strange and thinned. It seemed not cast against the ground, but floating above it, like a fog. What Linay had said was true. No one would notice this, at first. It was just an uneasy little change, like the half-felt movement of a boat that slowly induces a great sickness.

This is another part of my Debut Author Challenge. Erin has so graciously sent me a review copy and will be one of my future author interviews (resuming again in September). This is a fairy tale the way they should be told, not some Disney adaptation. It has that old fashioned feeling to it that gives the story more depth than it already has. A sense of horror, not of pleasantries. But I think above all that it is a story of family sacrifices.

I should have been able to piece together how the witch, rusalka, & the roamers all fit together much sooner than I actually did. Which shows that this isn't one of the "blah" books of 2010. The author has also included a glossary in the back, like some previous reviews have featured. Although I only wished she would have included a handful of other terminology as well. Some of it was very foreign to me and I couldn't decipher what the words meant even by reading the sentences. I can think of this book as one I would have read when I was a child. An exciting, yet scary, bedtime fairy tale. Thanks again to Erin Bow and Samantha Grefe from Scholastic Publishers for sending me this review copy. Congratulations again to Erin on the success of her debute novel.

Favorite quotes from this novel:
"The foolish will always treat you badly, because they think you are not beautiful..."

"...witches could not lie. People said that was the devil gave witches power, God bound their tongues to truth."

"But what is a body? Just a bowl for life. A bowl of breath."

"...because hope will break the heart better than any sorrow..."

Diamondback by Phil Bowie

2010-07-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

In 1838, soldiers came with bayonets to drive the Cherokees from their home in the Great Smoky Mountains. But not before the people managed to hide their gold mines. They kept their secret as they were driven like animals to the Oklahoma reservation. Many died on that infamous Trail of Tears, and their secrets died with them.

Now more than a century and a half later, solitary prospector Moses Kyle discovers one of the ancient lost mines. And disappears.

Among those seeking moses and his discovery are hot-shot pilot John Hardin and beautiful Cherokee biker Kitty Birdsong. Unfortunately also on the hunt in the misty folds of the Smokies is a murderous family clan rooted in the worst kind of evil, along with a group of cult members who are led by a fanatical snake-handling preacher, and who will do anything he asks of them.

When naked greed erupts into violence, John and Kitty find they must fight for their lives.

I want to thank Phil Bowie again for his generosity in sending me the John Hardin trilogy and the past interview. I was eager to continue John's story after finishing Guns. Guns was a jam-packed, suspense novel that even tho the story sounded amazing, I was hesitant to read due to my typical genre addiction- horror. I was pleasantly surprised that I was so intrigued by it and thankful Phil had sent me all three novels to do reviews on. Diamondback picks up where Guns left off.

I was happy to see that the Gaskills characters from Guns returned in this sequel. Moses Kyle, a new character, was a welcome addition. Like the Gaskills in Guns, Kyle was John's new "job" for lack of better words. When Moses disappears it is up to John to find out where he is and what happened to him. During Guns, you get a helicopter tutorial. In Diamondback you get a motorcycle one. It is evident that Mr. Bowie writes not only about fiction, but also of his own personal hobbies that he manages to incorporate in his stories without forsaking the heart of a novel.

While I did enjoy Diamondback, I feel that Guns was a better read and more suspenseful. Also, the beginning of chapter twenty-five felt like it was pulled directly from Guns and placed in Diamondback. The last bit of chapters were more intense than the majority of the novel, but they did end quite well. This leaves a great opening for the third installment, KLLRS.

Some quotes I found inspiring:
"We can only touch a rainbow with our minds."

"Got emotionally banged up in a long-term relationship, so I'm gun-shy."

"We live in a continuous miracle. Why do we forget that?"

Thanks again to Phil Bowie and all of the people at his publisher, Medallion Press. Both authors, and publishers alike strive to release so many amazing novels for people like us.
xoxo

Darkscape: The Rebel Lord by R. Garland Gray

2010-07-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

LORD LACHLAN DE DOUGLAS, A NOBLE WARRIOR LORD, IS HEIR TO A CLAN OF ANCIENT EARTH. BOLD, REBELLIOUS, POSESSING STRENGTH AND PASSION, HE DEFENDS HIS CLAN FROM ANNIHILATION AGAINST A WRETCHED WAR OF MASKED VENGEANCE AND TREACHEROUS SHADOWS. UNTIL ONE DAY, A SUDDEN HORROR ALTERS HIS BEING, CONDEMNING HIM TO A WORLD OF PRIVATE ANGUISH AND TORMENT.

KIMBERLY KINSALE, A DIPLOMAT'S DAUGHTER, IS A RARE BEAUTY MOTIVATED BY HONESTY AND INTEGRITY. SERVING AS A LIEUTENANT IN AN ELITE COMBAT FIGHTER GROUP ABOARD A WAR SHIP. SHE GOVERNS HER LIFE BY THE INTRIGUE AND LIES OF HER COMMANDING OFFICER. A MOMENT OF LUNACY AND FOLLY. A SECRET REVEALED. A SECRET REVEALED. AND KIMBERLY STUMBLES UPON AN UNSPEAKABLE DECEPTION.

NOW SHE MUST DECIDE. MAINTAIN HER LOYALTY, OR BETRAY HER CLAN AND SHIP FOR A DOUGLAS ENEMY LORD WHO CAN PROVE THE TRUTH NEVER-KNOWING THE BATTLE FOR JUSTICE WILL TAKE HER THROUGH LACHLAN'S NIGHTMARE, A RAGE SO DEEP, A SUFFERING GROUNDED IN SHAME AND PRIDE, EVEN WHEN PEACE SHINES IN SIGHT.

FOR THEIRS IS AN UNEXPECTED PASSION, BORN IN THE FIRES OF A SHARED NEED AND DESPERATE STRUGGLE. KIMBERLY MUST FIGHT THE SINISTER LEGACY OF THE MATRIX ROBOTS AND TRUST THE HANDSOME ENEMY LORD WITH HER LIFE, HER HEART, AND HER VERY SOUL. BUT AS TIME SLOWLY RUNS OUT, EVEN AN EXQUISITE LOVE MAY NOT BE ENOUGH FOR SALVATION.

First I want to thank Ms Gray again for allowing me the opportunity to review a second book for her, in addition to the previous interview. I was immediately drawn to this book for its Star Wars-eque appeal. Like her Faery Faith series, she includes a glossary of various terminology to help understand what is going on. It is highly evident that the author has a clear attraction to Ireland and Scotland. You can see that from both the Faery Faith & the Darkscape novels.

One interesting concept was the fact even in the "futuristic" year 3187 the author writes of dementia still not having a cure. While we're on that topic, the medical science-technology talk was slightly confusing but it was pertinent to the story itself. Another thing confusing for me was the matrix robots premise. I wasn't sure if the robots were ROBOTS, or if they were humans with some kind of robotic enhancement? One character seemed as tho they were a robot, but had more humanity to them, as opposed to another who seemed fully robotic?

There was also a semi-rape type scene that was just too weird for me. As if rapes aren't weird enough, this put some pseudo-future-sci-fi twist to it that just wasn't right for me. As I was reading tho, I did find myself looking back at the cover to confirm the character descriptions. Typically I don't do this, so why I did, or why I even wrote down the notes I am not sure of?!

Had the author not continued the story into two more novels, I think the ending would have appeared quite rushed. I am looking forward to the continuation in this Scottish Star Wars like saga.

Some quotes from the novel:

"Desperation breeds foolishness..."

"Most things worthy are not easy."

xoxo

Glimmerglass by Jenna Black

2010-07-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

Dana Hathaway doesn't know it yet, but she's in big trouble. When her alcoholic mom shows up at her voice recital drunk, again, Dana decides she's had enough and runs away to find her mysterious father in Avalon: the only place on Earth where the regular, everyday world and the captivating, magical world of Faerie intersect. But from the moment Dana sets foot in Avalon, everything goes wrong, for it turns out she isn't just an ordinary teenage girl- she's a Faeriewalker, a rare individual who can travel between both worlds, and the only person who can bring magic into the human world and technology into Faerie.
Soon, Dana finds herself tangled up in a cutthroat game of Fae politics. Someone's trying to kill her, and everyone seems to want something from her, from her newfound friends and family to Ethan, the hot Fae guy Dana figures she'll never have a chance with...until she does. Caught between the two worlds, Dana isn't sure where she'll ever fit in or who can be trusted, not to mention if her world will ever be normal again.

This was another of my 2010 Debut Author Challenges. I thought there would be a hesitation but it jumped straight into the faery realm. The story managed to weave reality (modern day issues i.e. alcoholism, teenage rebellion) with myth. I actually learned of some new fae mythology because of this book- glimmerglass and spriggans. Reading wise, the story had a very subdued, laidback flow.

Originally I made a note that the first 100ish pages revolved around nothing more than a very tiny bit of everything else, but mostly filled with Dana's moving around from one safe place to another. It bugged me because it felt like THAT was the story when the story should have been more focused on other events. I also wanted an explanation of Dana's cameo. There was a brief glimpse at it, but basically you had to figure it out on your own.

This has been the first book this year that I have been stumped on. Typically I know right away if I reallyyyyyyyyyy love a book or I reallyyyyyyyyyy hate it. This novel, however, has me hesitant. I want to give the upcoming sequel a shot and hopefully that will give me an insight to whether or not I will pursue this new series any further.

Here are a few quotes I enjoyed:

"If lightning had shot from the heavens and struck me dead at that moment, I might have welcomed it."

"...it hurt so much more to leave if you let yourself care too much."
xoxo

Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep

2010-07-09T17:56:00.000-07:00

My name is Gin Blanco. They call me the Spider. I'm the most feared assassin in the South - when I'm not busy at the Pork Pit cooking up the best barbecue in Ashland. As a Stone elemental, I can hear everything from the whispers of the gravel beneath my feet to the vibrations of the soaring Appalachian Mountains above me. My Ice magic also comes in handy for making the occasional knife. But I don't use my powers on the job unless I absolutely have to. Call it professional pride.

Now that a ruthless Air elemental has double-crossed me and killed my handler, I'm out for revenge. And I'll exterminate anyone who gets in my way - good or bad. I may look hot, but I'm still one of the bad guys. Which is why I'm in trouble, since irresistibly rugged Detective Donovan Caine has agreed to help me. The last thing this coldhearted killer needs when I'm battling a magic more powerful than my own is a sexy distraction...especially when Donovan wants me dead just as the enemy.

I happened to notice this book in a Wal Mart store sometime earlier this year when I was living in North Carolina. I contacted Jennifer and due to some publisher's limiting the amounts of books they send to their authors, she sent me the e-book along with Web of Lies (June 2010). Jennifer included a press release that also states book three in the series, Venom, will be released in October, 2010. As I browsed through her website I noticed she was offering bookmarks. Much to my surprise, she sent me I think 9 total. As you all have seen one of them is a result of this month's contest! In addition to all of that, she also allowed me the opportunity to interview her. On August 2 I will post the interview with the name of the winner of the contest.

The novel is based in Ashland, NC. As I read the novel it appeared to have so many of the same charateristics of Asheville, NC. I have a feeling this was her inspiration to base the novel on. This was an action packed book. The scenes were filled with bloody assassinations! Aside from the major Elementals, the story also featured vampire hookers, dwarf socialite beauticians, giants, and who knows what she may include in Web of Lies and Venom? The Elemental characters posess powers that are more interesting than your typical superheroes.

The tension between Gin, the Spider, and Donovan Caine was palpable. The culinary cooking sections were just....? It fit in with the story, but at the same time I felt that it was overplayed more than it should have been? As all books in series, or the great ones anyways, this one left you with a surprising ending to pave a way for the next book. This is a series I hope continues for a long time. If so, I can definitely see myself following the Spider's story in physical book format. The e-books are just not as convenient to read while traveling and various other family emergencies that I ran into. Thanks again to Jennifer for a new and interesting series that has grabbed my attention outside of my typical book reviewing.

Favorite quote from the book:
"Easy was for people too weak to suck it up and do what needed to be done. And I wasn't weak. Not anymore."
xoxo

Party by Tom Leveen

2010-07-07T21:47:00.000-07:00

IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT IN SANTA BARBARA,
and school is done for the year. Everyone is headed to the
same party. Or atleast it seems thay way. The place is packed,
The beer is flowing. Simple, right?
But for eleven people, the reasons for being there are way
more complicated....

to confront my ex
to hook up (since that's what everyone expects)
to make a friend...any friend
to numb the pain
to finally talk to her
to piss off my parents
to say goodbye

I don't know where I found Tom's book originally. But I am thankful I did! This was another one of my 2010 Debut Author Challenges. This book put me in the mind of all the great teen movies from when I was in high school....Can't Hardly Wait, 10 Things I Hate About You, etc...and even The Breakfast Club.

My favorite characters in the story were Beckett, Morrigan, Azize, and Anthony. Beckett is a lonely-outsider. She faces so much due to her mother's sickness that it makes her become reclusive and even lose her best friend. I recall a lot of my childhood of feeling that same way. I was never a people person in school, and was very shy. No one would ever think so now, but I can definitely relate to Beckett for sure! Morrigan is another of my fav's. She is the rebellious one. Morrigan rebels to get her parents attention and a confirmation that her father does love her. I also have been in her shoes. When I was 14, my rebellion began for many reasons of my own. For the most part it all backfired of course! Azize was the second most character I related to, aside from Beckett. He faces so much prejudicism due to his ethnicity and skin color. When you are a minority such as myself it really makes you upset when you see people hurting others for the sake of ignorance. Anthony was the last character I related to. His brother was off in the war and wounded. Anthony took it hard and caused him to take a negative outlook on things. Again, I can relate to that as most people can. When something so devastating happens to you it is only normal to be afraid and create a defense mechanism.

I really enjoyed this refreshing and easily relateable novel. Tom's interaction with kids in his work life clearly shines through in his debute novel. I encourage you all to read it. There are other characters in the story you may relate to. Such as:Tommy, Brent, Daniel, Ryan, Josh, Max, and Ashley. All the characters have their own story to tell. Find out which ones you like. Which ones remind you of yourself.
xoxo

Firespell by Chloe Neill

2010-07-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

AS THE NEW GIRL AT ST. SOPHIA'S BOARDING SCHOOL, LILY PARKER THINKS HER CLASSMATES ARE THE MONSTROUS THINGS SHE'LL HAVE TO FACE-BUT OH, HOW WRONG SHE IS.

When Lily's parents decide to send her away to a fancy boarding school in Chicago, she is not happy. Lily's classmates are the ultrarich brat-pack type- and if that isn't enough, she's hearing and seeing bizarre things on St. Sophia's creepy campus.

The only thing keeping her sane is her roommate, Scout, but even Scout's a little weird- she keeps disappearing late at night. When a prank leaves Lily trapped in the catacombs beneath the school, Lily finds Scout, who's running from a real-life monster. Scout is part of a splinter group of rebel teens who protect Chicago from demons, vamps, and the gone-to-the-dark-side magic users called Reapers. She lets Lily in on her secret, even though Lily has no powers of her own...or at least none she's discovered yet.

You see even when your cell phone is "MIA," the camera phone function works just great! I took a pic of the book so I could remember to contact Chloe on doing a review. Much to my surprise she happily sent me a copy. One of the cool aspects for me in this novel was the name of a character, Marceline D. Foley. I have never read a book that featured my last name. It sounds lame, but to me I thought it was cool. Whatever to all of you haters! :) The abruptness of Ms. Foley reminds me of Maggie Smith in Sister Act or even in Harry Potter.

The story read like the subtext of Buffy, without the kitchsy humor. I feel it has an amazing potential to become a tv series if the author chooses to pursue this into a series. The end leaves you with a suspended state. You're unsure if that was the end, or if there's more to come in the future. Hopefully it's the latter, because I would really be eager for a continuation in this story.

Thank you again to Chloe and Caitlin Brown from Signet/US Penguin Group Publishers for the opportunity to make this review possible.
xoxo

Jennifer Estep Contest July 1-August 1

2010-07-07T01:20:00.000-07:00

Hey readers! I enjoyed the last giveaway, so I thought of doing another. I've been reading like crazy trying to catch up with reviews. However I thought I should take time to do a post and include a picture of the contest prize options.

As I did with the last contest anyone who is currently a "Follower" is automatically entered into the contest. I want to welcome Tommy to the "Follower" gang. The rules are simple really and there is only one! Become a Follower! The contest will run from July 1-August 1. On August 2 I will do a post revealing the winner. The winner shall then select ONE of the three autographed bookmarks that Jennifer Estep has so graciously sent me.

View Jennifer Estep's website here!

Predestined by R Garland Gray

2010-07-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

IN AN ANCIENT REALM OF MAGIC,
LOVE HAS A DESTINY OF ITS OWN...

Abandoned at birth on the shores of a sacred loch, Bryna never knew her family or true heritage. She exists as a slave in the fortress of a Roman invader, her only friend an ancient, blind Druidess, Derina. Her life is bleak and without hope. And then Derina tells her she must rescue the prisoner in the dungeon.

Tynan lies naked, chained to a cold, stone slab, both body and mind tortured by the Sorcerer, evil ally of the Roman lord. The Sorcerer's purpose? To discover if this one, at last, might be the Dark Chieftain, the fulfiller of prophecy.

Even deeper in the dungeon, trapped by magical enchantment are the faeries. They await their liberator, the one who has been prophesied.

And the Dark Chieftain awaits a destiny of his own...mating with the territorial goddess...a union that will set the land, and many lives, aright.

First, however, he must gain his freedom and find her.

And Bryna is on her way to the dungeon...

This is another review from the great people at Medallion Press. I contacted Ms. Gray and she has since sent me Predestined & Darkscape: The Rebel Lord along with doing an interview. I wanted to review this book because of its large faery and fantasy background. I felt like I was warped into an alternate reality as I read. The cool thing about this book is that she writes with an ancient language that includes a dictionary reference guide in the back. Another thing I would like to note is that the author did a lot of research before she began writing it. So I guess you could say it is also a historical romance novel as well!

The sex scenes were more than sex, lust, passion, love. It is hard to explain, you just need to read it to understand what I am saying. I guess the simplest way is it is a form of enlightenment, and even that doesn't really come close to what it is. Most of the character "developments" were predictable, yet not disapointing. The book, to me, is a reminder at how people (men, women & children) all matured at much earlier ages in life back in that era. So many things have been lost over those centuries passed.

I really and truly did love reading this book. I can't wait to read books two and three and continue in this magical journey. Thanks again to R. Garland Gray for her willingness to allow me in doing these reviews and interviews with her. Also another thanks to the wonderful people at Medallion Press, for being such a corteous and always eager group of people in assistance with my reviews.
xoxo

Frostbite by David Wellington

2010-07-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

Lost deep in the uninhabited forests of Canada's Northwest Territories, a young woman named Chey survives an encounter with a werewolf...but not without a scratch.
The instant those giant teeth sink into her flesh, Chey's old life ends, and she becomes the very monster that's haunted her nightmares for years. Even worse, if she's going to survive, she may have to rely on the very man-or wolf- who's doomed her to his fate.
When a team of hired killers descends on the forest, guns loaded with silver bullets, she is faced with an unimaginable decision: will she help these men sent to kill her enemy, or embrace the beast she has become?

I seen David's books somewhere on a website early this year. The cover art was so gothic, morbid and horror-ish that I knew I would love them. I emailed David for an interview/ARC request and he approved my request.

Wellington's story was written so descriptive and visual that is was not done in an over-whelming experience. He explains the details without having to use "page-filler," and still be true to the story. Every last detail included made this novel more compelling to read. Part two of the story was very much an edge of the seat page turner. Frankly his writing is unparalleled to any others I've seen. He wields his words into the most appropriate arrangement.

Part three was frustrating with Chey's circumstances that she finds herself in. I expected a little more climactic events, considering the previous acceleration of the story. Part four was as suspenseful as part two, if not more! The ending was a very agreeable one. It is hard to find an ending to a great book that I enjoy in this type of genre. David manages to do without disappointment or feeling like a part of the story just wasn't enough. I also liked how the author threw a curve ball at the ending. Either way his original ending or the one I had thought was coming, I am completely content with the way the story was finished.

My only complaints on the story was that part three could have had more to it. Also the character Lucie just seemed like she needed a more in-depth explanation. Thank you again to David for allowing me the opportunity to review his book and the ability to interview him. I truly did enjoy this experience.
xoxo

Foodchain by Jeff Jacobson

2010-07-01T23:08:00.000-07:00

Frank Winter has a gift. He can soothe and handle damn near anything on four legs. But his future career as a racetrack equine veterinarian is destroyed with one vicious kick to the head. Now, the men who financed his education want their investment back and Frank becomes the guy who has to get his hands dirty when a horse is worth more dead than alive.
But when a job goes bad and a horse dies on national television, Frank is taken to a rundown roadside zoo where the animals aren't just hungry. They're slowly starving. And Frank is on the menu.
After finding refuge in an isolated small town ruled with near absolute power by Horace Sturm, Frank sees a chance to make some quick cash. Sturm's got his own problems, though. There's a tumor in his head the size of a golf ball and his thirteen-year-old son has brought nothing but shame and embarassment to the family name.
Under a brutal summer sun, Frank organizes a series of exotic animal hunts through the ranches and backyards of Whitewood, hoping to end the animals' starvation quickly and painlessly. But he seriously underestimates the madness lurking under the surface of the desperate town. Nor does he truly understand the depth of hatred in the decades-old feud between Sturm and the Glouck family. And he definitely doesn't anticipate falling for nineteen-year-old Annie Glouck.
While Whitewood crumbles into a ghost town full of bones, blood, and gunpowder, vicious predators and hunters with itchy trigger fingers stalk the empty streets. It's survival of the fittest as the hunts escalate into death matches between exotic animals and Frank must decide where he stands on the fine line between predator and prey.

This was a very gory-graphically detailed novel with an A rating and a B rated sense of morbid-disturbing humor. If you're offended by homosexuals, bestiality, brutality, vulgarity and bloodfests, it's safe to say this book isn't for you. PETA would have a frenzy over this book. It is classified as the mystery genre. However, I think it was mistitled. Although I can't think of any title it would fit into properly since it has so many variables it deserves its own category.

When I first heard of the novel I was under a misperception that the animals were some sort of re-animated corpses. Upon viewing the cover art I was even more confused until I finished the book. The John Wayne western cover-art just seemed out of place at first. After further reading I had a more appreciative outlook on it.

There were a few things I had problems with as I read Jeff's novel. Firstly the people aafter Frank was like a brief glimpse. They were built up so much only to never be heard from again. In all of the mayhem in this story it would have been a cool twist to add a bit of feasible drama into the mix. Secondly I think there were some parts that were over-indulgent, but it is fiction. So I guess that is more of a matter of opinion than a reader's problem? Aside from being in the animal field, the fantasy of the story was fun. I'm just thankful this wasn't based on actual events. LOL! Another issue I had was with Annie & Frank's relationship. It was too confusing without remotely making sense. He wants her. He doesn't. He wants to have sex. He doesn't. Bi-polar much? Something more substantial would have been better I think. Like a confirmation of what way the relationship was going. (I can't spoil too much of the details without giving away the story.)

The ending was filled with murderous rage and revenge. Yet still there was nothing with the people after Frank featured in the beginning of the story. Overall I really did enjoy the novel. Jeff is a promising author. I hope to see more from him in the future. It was a great honor to be able to do this review for Jeff. Stay tuned for his interview.
xoxo

2010 Books I've Read

2010-07-01T23:07:00.000-07:00

ARC & Review Books I've Read In 2010:

Everlasting Kiss- Amanda Ashley
Everlasting Desire- Amanda Ashley
Gonville: A Memoir- Peter Birkenhead
The Accessory- James G Hutchison
Dragon's Lair- Ally Blue
Oleander House- Ally Blue
What Hides Inside- Ally Blue
Fireflies- Ally Blue
Me, Myself & Why- MaryJanice Davidson
If I Stay- Gayle Forman
Saint Iggy- K.L. Going
Nothing- Robin Friedman
Blonde With A Wand- Vicki Lewis Thompson
Chick With A Charm- Vicki Lewis Thompson
Demonfire- Kate Douglas
Forget Me Not- Vicki Hinze
Firespell- Chloe Neill
Princess For Hire- Lindsey Leavitt
The Beautiful Between- Alyssa B Sheinmel
Frostbite- David Wellington
Moonshine- Alaya Dawn Johnson
Shiver- Maggie Stiefvater
Linger- Maggie Stiefvater
Split- Stefan Petrucha
Epitaph Road- David Patneaude
Guns- Phil Bowie
Diamondback- Phil Bowie
Chernobyl Murders- Michael Beres
Voices of Dragons- Carrie Vaughn
Foodchain- Jeff Jacobson
Darkscape: the Rebel Lord- R. Garland Gray
Faery Faith: Predestined- R. Garland Gray
Party- Tom Leveen
The Summer of Skinny Dipping- Amanda Howells
Glimmerglass: A Faeriewalker Novel- Jenna Black
The Secret Life of Bees- Sue Monk Kidd
The Magician's Nephew- C.S. Lewis
The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe- C.S. Lewis
Lord of the Flies- William Golding
Undead & Unwed- MaryJanice Davidson
Plain Kate- Erin Bow
Betwixt- Tara Bray Smith
Shadow of the Moon: A Dark Guardian Novel- Rachel Hawthorne
War Games: Kill Zone- Vicki Hinze
KLLRS- Phil Bowie

Books I've Read In Spare Time:
Halloween Night- R.L. Stine
One Evil Summer- R.L. Stine
Goosebumps: Say Cheese and Die- R.L. Stine
Conversations With J.K. Rowling- Lindsey Fraser

ARC UPDATE

2010-07-01T22:14:00.000-07:00

Just an update for myself to keep track of what ARC's are on their way.

Currently Reading:
Plain Kate- Erin Bow (Finished)
Betwixt- Tara Bray Smith (Finished)
War Games: Kill Zone- Vicki Hinze (Finished)
KLLRS- Phil Bowie (Finished)
My Soul To Keep- Melanie Wells
Shadow Of The Moon: A Dark Guardians Novel- Rachel Hawthorne (Finished)
Traffyck- Michael Beres
Rain Village- Carolyn Turgeon
I Am Legend- Richard Matheson
Web Of Lies- Jennifer Estep

Reviews Need To Read:
Dead City- Joe McKinney
Dead Set: A Zombie Anthology- Michelle McCrary & Joe McKinney
Dust- Joan Frances Turner
The Loving Dead- Amelia Beamer
Still Missing- Chevy Stevens
A Darker Dream- Amanda Ashley
The Vampire & The Virgin- Kerrelyn Sparks
The Feathered Serpent 2012- Junius Podrug
My Ultimate Sister Disaster- Jane Mendel
Water Ghosts- Shawna Yang Ryan
Blindsided- Priscilla Cummings
Hater- David Moody
Dogfood- David Moody
Hearts At Stake- Alyxandra Harvey
Blood Feud- Alyxandra Harvey

ARC's Coming In The Mail:
Past Midnight- Mara Purnhagen
Lightborn or Darkborn or both?- Alison Sinclair
We Were Here- Matt De La Pena
Down Among The Dead- Robert Gregory Browne
Six Rules of Maybe- Deb Caletti
Wormfood- Jeff Jacobson
Redheaded Stepchild- Jaye Wells
The Mage Is Black- Jaye Wells
Unholy Ghosts- Stacia Kane
Feed- Mira Black (possibly author's choice since the book she sent was ruined at the UPS in the flood)
A Twisted Ladder- Rhodi Hawk

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

2010-07-01T04:29:00.000-07:00

Their eyes, human eyes in wolf skulls, remind me of water: the clear blue of water reflecting in the spring sky, the brown of a brook churning with rainfall, the green of the lake in summer as the algae begins to bloom, the gray of a snow-choked river. It used to be only Sam's yellow eyes that watched me from between the rain-soaked birches, but now I feel the weight of the entire pack's gaze. The weight of things unknown, things unsaid.

Again I want to express my gratitude towards both Maggie and her people from Scholastic Press for allowing me to do the reviews for both Shiver and now for Linger. The first thought on this stpry was the continuation of "The Wolves of Mercy Falls." I anticipated learning of the mysterious Cole. You had so much to ponder on with this ellusive character. Sexy. Mysterious. Rebellious. Another great thing I enjoyed was the fact one of my favorite characters from Shiver returns as a lead character in Linger, Isabel. She is quite bitchy, pretentious, and yet with all of the hardships dealt to her- she learns to grow up and become more of a mature and responsible person.

In Shiver, I was preturbed by the temperature settings at the beginning of each chapters. I was thankful in Linger that they weren't there. I was a little disheartened to find that Olivia was not featured almost at all in Linger. With such a strong ending with her character in Shiver, I expected more to her story in Linger. I also felt that there was a vagueness to a character's details of being a wolf or not being a wolf? Maybe that is due to the author's story plan for the third edition in this series? Some parts I also felt like they could have been left out, almost like they were a "filler." Such as the talk of one character clipping their toe-nails? ....

The last 100-ish pages for me was frustrating to read for fear at which way the story would turn. Overall I really did enjoy this story. This is going to be a new series that I feel Twilight fans such as myself can indulge in and not feel betrayed. Maggie creates such interesting characters, with a whole new purpose to werewolves. I am quite impatient for the third installment and see myself reading these books over again throughout the year.

There were quite a few quotes I loved from this book. However only one really popped out at me.

"But love isn't quantifiable on paper..."
xoxo

Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn

2010-06-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

When modern technology clashes with ancient monsters, seventeen-year-old Kay and her unlikely dragon friend, Artegal, are caught in the middle. Can their friendship stop a war?

While Carrie is not a debute author, her novel is a 2010 Debute Author Challenge novel. This is her first young adult novel. I was intrigued from the beginning. It makes you want to read further to learn about the border between the Dragons and Silver River. The story has the same type of excitement I felt as a kid with the Everlasting Story. If you're an Eragon follower this book will appeal to you as well. There was a cliffhanger type ending that leaves you wondering...Is there more to the story?

I only have one complaint with this book. I feel that there should have been more details regarding the dragon side. It seemed to be more human based. That may have been the author's goal, I don't know. As a reader, I just wished to have read more on the dragon lifestyle. Congratulations to Carrie on the success of her novel. Thank you to both Carrie for her interview, and the opportunity to be able to do this review.
xoxo

The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells

2010-06-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

After getting dumped by her boyfriend, sixteen-year-old Mia Gordon is looking forward to spending a relaxing summer in the Hamptons with Corine, her gorgeous and popular cousin. But Corine has better things to do- like ditch Mia at a party.
That's where Mia meets boy-next-door Simon Ross. After devising a secret signaling system, Mia and Simon meet up nightly to swim in the cool, dark ocean and lie on the beach, talking and looking at the stars. Neither feels like they belong in the exclusive resort community.
Mia isn't looking for love that summer, but she finds it. She finds a funny, artistic boy who lives boldly. She finds someone who understands her. And she finds herself.

This was another of my 2010 Debute Author Challenges. I contacted Amanda and her publisher sent me a copy to review. This was a hysterical-uplifting and yet sad summer story. It is a book that I could imagine reading on a beach as I soaked up the rays, sadly when I was reading this the weather was not warm nor was I near a beach! I think this story has the potential of a new decade version of Dirty Dancing. So many young adults would love to read a story like this. It has all the factors that teenagers live for. It is a story that has life lessons and talks of struggle and hardship and moving on. Congratulations to Amanda for her success in this debute novel.

Here are a few quotes I really enjoyed:

"Or maybe that's just the curse of really beautiful people. Everything around them must look so ugly and second-rate."

"It's a long way from Payless to Prada!"

"The surest way to hurt yourself is to give up on love, just because it didn't work out the first time."

Moonshine by Alaya Dawn Johnson

2010-06-27T23:45:00.000-07:00

Imagining vampires at the heart of the social struggles of 1920s, Moonshine blends a tempestuous romance with dramatic historical fiction, populated by a lively mythology inhabiting the gritty New York City streets.

Zephyr Hollis is an underfed, overzealous social activist who teaches night school at the underprivileged of the Lower East Side. Strapped for cash, Zephyr agrees to help a student, the mysterious Amir, who proposes she use her charity worker cover to bring down a notorious vampire mob boss. What he doesn't tell her is why. Soon enough she's tutoring a child criminal with an angelic voice, dodging vampires high on a new blood- based street drug, and trying to determine the real reason behind Amir's request- not to mention attempting to resist (often unsuccessfully) his dark, inhuman charm.

This was one of my 2010 Debute Author challenge's. I was immediately drawn to the story for it's vintage- horror appeal with the likes of flappers, prohibition, the classy little newspaper boys, old cars, and various other things. Another thing that caught my eye was the fact it is only 9 chapters long with a total of over 270 pages. I've never read a book like the way this one was laid out in that manner.

As I read Zephyr's story the way Alaya described things, I could very vividly imagine them in my head as if I were watching it on a movie. Overall I wasn't a fan of the story in the end. For me it seemed as if there were too many agendas going on from the beginning to the end. It almost felt like it was more of an encylopedia of supernatural beings: demons, vampires, faeries, djinns, ghouls, goblins. I also felt like the author was trying to use her skill of an extensive vocabulary. I love to learn new words, but it just seemed like...how can I put this...she could have "dumbed" it down a few notches?!

As much as I love to read sex scenes in my novels, I guess I am old fashioned. This novel is for the young adults. For me I don't believe the sex scenes should have been put in it. I am well aware of times being changed since even I was in high school, which isn't that long ago, but the fact of the matter is parents (if they raise their children with morals) aren't going to want their kids reading books featuring such scenes, in my opinion.

For me there really was only one good part in the whole story and that is when Zephyr was in the faust crazed vampire fight. Like I said, overall I wasn't a fan of the story. Although if this evolves into a series I admit I will be reluctant, but I will continue reading it.

Thanks again to Alaya for the opportunity to do this review, and allow me to mark off another of my debute novels from my challenge. I will leave you all with a quote from the book that had me thinking.

"We were all of us damaged, and I'd lost the knack of pinning blame."
xoxo

The Secret Life Of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

2010-06-26T21:42:00.000-07:00

Set in South Carolina in 1964, The Secret Life Of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed. When Lily's fierce-hearted black "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, insults three of the deepest racists in town, Lily decides to spring them both free. they escape to Tiburon, South Carolina- a town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sisters, Lily is introduced to their mesmerizing world of bees and honey, and the Black Madonna. This is a remarkable novel about devine female power, a story that women will share and pass on to their daughters for years to come.

The biggest motivation for me to read this book was the movie version. The movie was such a heart wrenching story. In my opinion the books are always better than the movies and so I had to prove my point. For me, I was comparing so much of the book to the movie. If I can recall right, the way that Lily & her mother are described in the story are nothing alike the movie adaptations. I also feel that there were many parts of the story left out of the movie, such as; the parts where characters appear to be daydreaming or something and really thinking of critical moments that give the story a very strong depth. I can't remember June apologizing to Lily in the movie version either. In the movie T-Ray found Lily by a map not a phone call like the book states. That was another part that had me a bit confused but I can see how it is possible to do so. My last gripe between the movie/book versions is that in the book at the end when T-Ray comes to take Lily, it is the Daughters of Mary who stand up for her. In the movie version it is Rosaleen, June & August.

Overall this was a beautifully written story that addresses racism and cruelty. It is easy to see looking back in time that slavery times and segregation are not that far behind us.The story is an eye opener into people's ignorant perceptions and beliefs that certain people are more important than others. That thought process hasn't changed. We still encounter racism in various forms of race, gender, sexuality, religion. If there is any book that can be an educational tool, it would be The Secret Life of Bees. However more than breaking racist barriers, this is a tale of family and of voids. Family knows nothing of sex, color, race, politics and religions! Family knows what it is- simply that, family.

I sincerely can't express how much of an inspiration this book is. Thank you Sue for such an elegant use of words. They have blended together and created a beautiful story that will live on for ages.

Occasionally I find quotes from books that have a sense of purpose and/or meaning to me in one form or another. Here are a few that I just couldn't forget....

"Loss takes up inside of everything sooner or later and eats right through it."

"The world will give you that once in a while, a brief time-out, the boxing bell rings and you go to your corner, where somebody dabs mercy on your beat-up life."

"From now on when people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I planned to say, Amnesiac."

"If God said in plain language 'I'm giving you a choice forgive and die,' a lot of people would go ahead and order their coffin."

xoxo

Everlasting Desire by Amanda Ashley

2010-06-26T17:25:00.000-07:00

Desire Burns Forever

The clientele at Shore's clothing store includes some of L.A.'s sexiest bachelors. But none of them affects Megan DeLacey as deeply as the dark-eyed stranger who strides into her boutique one evening- and keeps returning, night after night. Megan is drawn to Rhys Costain even as she fears him. Because his reason for being there is clear- he wants Megan, with an intensity that's both tempting and terrifying...

For almost five centuries, Rhy has lived alone, using women as it pleased him and never wanting more. As Master of the West Coast vampires, it's his duty to eliminate the ancient vampire who's draining humans on his turf, putting all of their kind at risk. But Megan's lush beauty and vibrant warmth is blinding him to a danger that will soon engulf them both- and tear him from the only woman who can satisfy his darkest hunger...

First off, I hate to sound like a brown-noser, but I simply can't say enough good things about Amanda Ashley. Not only is she a talented authoress, but she also sets aside ample time to interact with her fans and readers. So I couldn't have been more happy than when I came home from a three week stint to find the ARC of Everlasting Desire she had offered to send me. Thank you Mandy again for another exciting opportunity to do a review for one of your upcoming novels!

My first comment on this ARC was the continuation in the Everlasting books. If you scroll through my past reviews you will notice the Everlasting Kiss review, book one. I have to admit that I fell in love with Rhys Costain's character in book one. I am a sucker for the bad boys er vamps! This was a nice twist to Mandy's previous books. The hilarious mixture of vampires, sex and name brand fashion was enticing.

As you all know I love a saga, series or collection of books. For me I really enjoyed that Mandy has brought back characters from the previous novel into Everlasting Desire. Another thing I liked was that she has no qualms on killing off her characters without endangering the plot of the story. Even more so, the deaths aren't of a simplistic style. She weaves in gritty details into why and how they die. Not to berate other authors, but sometimes they choose to kill off a character and it just seems they ran out of thought, or story. As a reader it gives us a thought that maybe we don't want to read anything further from them because of that. I am thankful Mandy has the gall and the creativity to stand out amongst them.

A few random thoughts on the story:
There's a comedic thought on a vampire fretting over what to wear to impress a mortal. (With all of their preternatural powers, you think this would be their last thought!) It really was a laugh-out-loud moment.

There were a few parts that reminded me of True Blood's sense of humor and drama. Towards the end I think there was a similar Twilight.aspect of the story at first. I was glad to see that it did divert and change directions.

I sincerely hope the Everlasting books continue on. There are so many wonderful characters and opportunities for further growth in this early collection of novels. You can find this book in stores October 2010. If you haven't read Everlasting Kiss you still have plenty of time to read it before the release date of this book.

I will leave you all with a few quotes I enjoyed:

"Mortals never changed...They were always looking for new and better ways to destroy themselves."

"Mortals and vampires and witches. Oh, my."

xoxo

New ARC's & Books

2010-06-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

Hey readers. As you all have known that I have had some family emergencies. I was gone for three weeks and arrived home this past Sunday. While I was away, the mail Fairy delivered me five new ARC's to review:

Everlasting Desire (book 2)- Amanda Ashley
Betwixt- Tara Bray Smith
Glimmerglass- Jenna Black (part of my 2010 Debute Author Challenge)
Shadow of the Moon (book 4)- Rachel Hawthorne
Plain Kate- Erin Bow

I also went shopping today and bought a few books to read while in between reviews, for fun!

Magic Fire- Christopher Pike (I am still a sucker for Pike & Stine books even tho H.S. was "so yesterday!)
Execution of Innocence- Christopher Pike
A Darker Dream- Amanda Ashley
xoxo

Split by Stefan Petrucha

2010-06-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

I dream all the time. I dream I'm someone Denby might like better but I don't like at all, someone who never quit school, someone who works his tail off, someone who- get this- keeps trying to get her to marry me. My drunk, deadbent father's around, too. I take him to AA meetings. I help pay the mortgage. I must be nuts.

After days of trying to do the right thing, I always dream I'm doing the wrong thing, that Dad's vanished, probably drinking, and that I am smug and stupid. I quit school, play lousy songs, in a cofee-bar dive, and think it's the center of the universe. I don't want to commit to anything- not to my music, not even to Denby. I just think life's a game. A game? Only in my dreams.

I found one of Stefan's books on some website earlier this year and was eager to read it. However the book I wanted was already published. So, Stefan offered to send me his newest work instead, Split. He also agreed to do an interview which is already in a previously posted author interview.

Firstly the cover art reminds me of something I would expect to see in a school library back when I was in school. It definitely has the art to appeal to it's age-specific audience. If I were in the library and seen this I would have grabbed it up out of curiousity and read it. This novel for me was a bit confusing to read. It was like reading two novels in one. The author clearly delineates the differences of the "personalities." For me it was just missing something that could make the story more....clear? (I'm treading water here in order not to offend!) Another problem for me was there was this "computer- nerd" language throughout the story that just wasn't for me.

Split has a sense of sci-fi appeal. Speaking of some alien best friend of Wade's. I couldn't tell if the alternate Wade was a dream, a figment of his imagination, or simply and alternate version of himself he created to cope with his complicated life and settings?? Overall this novel was hard for me to follow. It reminded sme much of how I felt with Fight Club. If a novel could ever cause my brain to hurt out of confusion this one would do it. Personally this novel was not to my liking.

With all that being said, I want to thank Stefan for the opportunity for making this review possible. I also want to thank him again for the interview he so willingly was a part of. Stefan is an established author and I am sure this novel isn't the last we will see of him. Congratulations on all of your success and in your continued works for the future.
xoxo