Sunday 31 May 2015

May TBR Orphans Update


May was another slow reading month or me.
A nasty flu made that I wasn't able to concentrate on reading, so I didn't read a lot. I played games instead, but more on that the upcoming week.

I did manage to read one orphan though!

Fireborn by Keri Arthur is a great read, and I'm eager to read the next book.

How did your challenges go?


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Friday 29 May 2015

The Heir - Book Rant


The Heir (The Selection #4)
by Kiera Cass


What is it about:
Princess Eadlyn has grown up hearing endless stories about how her mother and father met. Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won the heart of Prince Maxon—and they lived happily ever after. Eadlyn has always found their fairy-tale story romantic, but she has no interest in trying to repeat it. If it were up to her, she'd put off marriage for as long as possible.

But a princess's life is never entirely her own, and Eadlyn can't escape her very own Selection—no matter how fervently she protests.

Eadlyn doesn't expect her story to end in romance. But as the competition begins, one entry may just capture Eadlyn's heart, showing her all the possibilities that lie in front of her . . . and proving that finding her own happily ever after isn't as impossible as she's always thought.


What did I think of it:
As you might have noticed I didn't call this a review. I also am going to get spoilery a bit.

I liked the first three books: they're sugary, but fun. So when I picked this book up I was expecting to like it.

But there was one major thing in this book that bugged me: the message it gives.

What this book tells us is that a woman can't be strong and independent. Eadlyn keeps getting told she's not acting girly and soft enough to be liked. She needs to fall in love with a boy and act gooey with him to have people like her.

This book tells us that having people like you, is needed to rule a country as a woman. It tells that ruling a country is about being popular, instead of being capable and strong enough to make hard decisions.

This message that is flowing through the story as an undercurrent made that I could't care about the rest of the story. So there are a bunch of guys Aedlyn has to chose from. Some are nice, some are jerks. The boy who will win Aedlyn's heart in book five was clear to me from the first sentence about him (if I'm wrong, I will be really surprised).

I did finish the book, but I doubt I will pick up the next book. I will keep the original trilogy though and reread that when i'm in the mood for sugary Dystopia.

Why should you read it:
Maybe I'm being too harsh on the book, and you might not mind the message it gives.


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Thursday 28 May 2015

On Voodoo Bride's Wishlist - Willful Impropriety


Willful Impropriety: 13 Tales of Society, Scandal and Romance
Anthology


The Season has finally arrived, filled with the magnificent balls, scandalous gossip, and clandestine romances that every lord and lady in good society has come to expect. But far within the walls of lavish estates and in the dark corners of the city lies a world that the aristocracy dares not touch, with rules and risks that glamour cannot overpower. Yet true love has no boundaries, and heiresses and street thieves alike must use their savvy and strength to create new beginnings and happily-ever-afters. Sometimes luck is enough, but every once in a while, a touch of magic may be needed.

Deliciously alluring, these thirteen historical romances from a talented array of YA authors will make even the most cynical heart swoon.

Table of Contents:
“The Dancing Master” by Genevieve Valentine
“The Unladylike Education Of Agatha Tremain” by Stephanie Burgis
“At Will” by Leanna Renee Hieber
“Steeped In Debt To The Chimney Pots” by Steve Berman
“Outside The Absolute” by Seth Cadin
“Resurrection” by Tiffany Trent
“Mrs Beeton’s Book Of Magickal Management” by Karen Healey
“The Garden Of England” by Sandra Mcdonald
“False Colours” by Marie Brennan
“Nussbaum’s Golden Fortune” by M. K. Hobson
“The Colonel’s Daughter” by Barbara Roden
“Mercury Retrograde” by Mary Robinette Kowal
“The Language Of Flowers” by Caroline Stevermer



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Wednesday 27 May 2015

Fireborn - Book Review


Fireborn (Souls of Fire #1)
by Keri Arthur


What is it about:
Emberly has spent a good number of her many lives trying to save humans. So when her prophetic dreams reveal the death of Sam, a man she once loved, she does everything in her power to prevent that from happening. But in saving his life, she gets more than she bargained for.

Sam is working undercover for the Paranormal Investigations Team, and those who are trying to murder him are actually humans infected by a plague-like virus, the Crimson Death—a by-product of a failed government experiment that attempted to identify the enzymes that make vampires immortal. Now, all those infected must be eliminated.

But when Emberly’s boss is murdered and his irreplaceable research stolen, she needs to find the guilty party before she goes down in flames...


What did I think of it:
This is a really cool read.

I loved the concept of the phoenix. I've not read an Urban Fantasy with a phoenix before. The way Arthur set up the background of the phoenix as a mythical creature does make for a bit of a hot mess when it comes to romance, but she made me believe in it, and cheer Emberly on in her pursuit of happiness.

The action storyline was really intense as well. There's lots of intrigue and suspense, as well as cool action. There's a lot of different parties involved, but Arthur's storytelling made sure I never felt lost.

I will confess I didn't like Sam, Emberly's former lover (and one of her current love interests), but there are some other men in Emberly's life who I really liked. I do feel like I will be rooting for the wrong guy, but maybe Sam will surprise me yet.

This book ends with lots of things still unresolved, but luckily not on an unnecessary cliffhanger. Still I'm eager to get my trotters on the next book, because I want to know what will happen next for Emberly.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool and compelling UF read.


buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery

Tuesday 26 May 2015

Negotiation - Free for a Limited Time

Today it's the official release day for The Talon of the Hawk, the third book in the amazing Twelve Kingdoms series by Jeffe Kennedy.
And to celebrate that release you can now for a limited time get Negotiation, the prequel novella for this series for free!

Until now this novella was only available in the Anthology Thunder on the Battlefield, vol. II, but now you can get it as a single ebook novella.


Negotiation
by Jeffe Kenned
y

A Story of the Twelve Kingdoms

A wounded warrior trapped by the sorceress who knows him better than he does himself…

General Uorsin escapes the last devastating battle, only to find himself alone on a mountain, feverish and no closer to finding the paradise that drives him on. Salena, greatest shapeshifter and magic-worker of her people, springs the trap she’s set to protect her land—and to prevent the ravager Uorsin from ever reaching it.

Together, they spend a night setting the terms that will determine not only the rest of their lives, but the fates of the peoples of the Twelve Kingdoms—and the thirteenth.


Buy links:
Smashwords - Amazon - Kobo



About Jeffe Kennedy:

Jeffe Kennedy is an award-winning author whose works include non-fiction, poetry, short fiction, and novels. She has been a Ucross Foundation Fellow, received the Wyoming Arts Council Fellowship for Poetry, and was awarded a Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Award. Her essays have appeared in many publications, including Redbook.

Her most recent works include a number of fiction series: the fantasy romance novels of A Covenant of Thorns; the contemporary BDSM novellas of the Facets of Passion, and an erotic contemporary serial novel, Master of the Opera. A fourth series, the fantasy trilogy The Twelve Kingdoms, hit the shelves starting in May 2014 and book 1, The Mark of the Tala, received a starred Library Journal review and has been nominated for the RT Book of the Year while the sequel, The Tears of the Rose, has been nominated for best fantasy romance of the year. A fifth series, the highly anticipated erotic romance trilogy, Falling Under, released starting with Going Under, followed by Under His Touch and Under Contract.
She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with two Maine coon cats, plentiful free-range lizards and a very handsome Doctor of Oriental Medicine.

Jeffe can be found online at her website: JeffeKennedy.com, every Sunday at the popular Word Whores blog, on Facebook, and pretty much constantly on Twitter @jeffekennedy. She is represented by Connor Goldsmith of Fuse Literary.

http://jeffekennedy.com

https://www.facebook.com/Author.Jeffe.Kennedy

https://twitter.com/jeffekennedy

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1014374.Jeffe_Kennedy


Monday 25 May 2015

The Silence - Book Review


The Silence
by Tim Lebbon


What is it about:
In the darkness of a vast cave system, cut off from the world for millennia, blind creatures hunt by sound. Then there is light, there are voices, and they feed... Swarming from their prison, they multiply and thrive. To scream, even to whisper, is to summon death.

Deaf for many years, Ally knows how to live in silence. Now, it is her family's only chance of survival. To leave their home, to shun others, to find a remote haven where they can sit out the plague. But will it ever end? And what kind of world will be left?


What did I think of it:
*Warning: will get a bit spoilery*

This is mostly a cool read.

I had expected Ally to be the heroine, but it turns out it's more the fact that her being deaf means her whole family is familiar with sign language that makes them more likely to survive than Ally's skills.

That aside: I mostly very much enjoyed this story. There's icky, creepy wasp-like creatures that hunt everything that makes sound, and there's chaos. The panic that spreads across Europe after the creatures emerge is well written, and I liked how each chapter started with news feeds, twitter messages and such to show how things slowly unravel.

Ally and her family decide to leave their home and flee towards a less populated area in the UK. Mostly they seem to be smart about it, but there's one thing that really annoyed me: they take their dog...

Really?! They have seen how these creatures attack anything that makes a noise. They have seen what happens to people who get caught by the creatures. And they take a dog with them! Why not just take a Ghettoblaster as well?!

Spoiler: The dog starts barking at the creatures!

And then there's the ending...

If Lebbon had written this story in another format I might have accepted the ending he gave me, but the way this story is written: I was pissed off by the ending.

It's not a proper ending, but a gimmicky ending. Some people might think it's clever, but it mostly gave me the feeling that Lebbon didn't know how to give the story another ending. It really ruined the book for me.

So even though I had mostly enjoyed the book, I won't reread or keep the book. And I'm not so sure I will try anything else by Lebbon either.

Why should you read it:
It's mostly a cool read, and maybe you will like the ending.


buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery

Friday 22 May 2015

The Vampire's Assistant - Book Review


The Vampire's Assistant (Cirque du Freak #2)
by Darren Shan


What is it about:
Darren Shan was just an ordinary schoolboy - until his visit to the Cirque Du Freak. Now, as he struggles with his new life as a Vampire's Assistant, he tries desperately to resist the one temptation that sickens him, the one thing that can keep him alive. But destiny is calling... the Wolf Man is waiting.

What did I think of it:
Just as the first book in this series, this is a very entertaining read.

I did grumble a bit about the generalizations in this book: Environmentalists are all unwashed, spacey vegetarians. Yeah, right!

But that aside this is a fun story. Darren is trying to fit into his new life, but is struggling with it. At Cirque Du Freak he makes a friend, but when he and his new friend also befriend a normal boy, things get hairy.

There's lots of action, creepy creatures, and Darren being a rash teenage boy. If only he would stop to think about some of the things he does, he wouldn't get himself in trouble. But then we wouldn't have a cool story, so I didn't mind his stupidity most of the time.

All in all this is a fast and enjoyable read. I will pick up the third book in this series soon.

Why should you read it:
It has snake boys and wolf men!


buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery

Thursday 21 May 2015

On McPig's Wishlist - Dancing With Werewolves

This is one of those series I really would want to try, but with this paperback being priced at €17.54 that's not going to happen anytime soon.


Dancing With Werewolves (Delilah Street, Paranormal Investigator #1)
by Carole Nelson Douglas


It was the revelation of the millennium: witches, werewolves, vampires and other supernaturals are real. Fast-forward 13 years: TV reporter Delilah Street used to cover the small-town bogeyman beat back in Kansas, but now, in high-octane Las Vegas - which is run by a werewolf mob - she finds herself holding back the gates of Hell itself. But at least she has a hot new guy and one big bad wolfhound to help her out...


buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery

Wednesday 20 May 2015

The Talon of the Hawk - Early Book Review


The Talon of the Hawk (The Twelve Kingdoms #3)
by Jeffe Kennedy


What is it about:
A HEAVY CROWN

Three daughters were born to High King Uorsin, in place of the son he wanted. The youngest, lovely and sweet. The middle, pretty and subtle, with an air of magic. And the eldest, the Heir. A girl grudgingly honed to leadership, not beauty, to bear the sword and honor of the king.

Ursula’s loyalty is as ingrained as her straight warrior’s spine. She protects the peace of the Twelve Kingdoms with sweat and blood, her sisters from threats far and near. And she protects her father to prove her worth. But she never imagined her loyalty would become an open question on palace grounds. That her father would receive her with a foreign witch at one side and a hireling captain at the other—that soldiers would look on her as a woman, not as a warrior. She also never expected to decide the destiny of her sisters, of her people, of the Twelve Kingdoms and the Thirteenth. Not with her father still on the throne and war in the air. But the choice is before her. And the Heir must lead...


What did I think of it:
I absolutely love the first two books in this series, so I was very excited to get an ARC of The Talon of the Hawk.

Now I will have to confess that I had a difficult relationship with Ursula in the previous books, especially in book one. Half the time I liked her, and half the time I wanted to kick her for being a big bossypants to her sisters. So even though I longed for this book ever since finishing The Tears of the Rose, I was wondering if I could love Ursula as much as her sisters.

I shouldn't have worried: this is such a wonderful read and Ursula is an awesome character.

Ursula is a strong heroine, but with hurts and doubts that might break her if she lets them. She's learned to keep her feelings hidden, while trying hard to do what's right and to do what's honorable, but those might not be the same. I felt for her and cheered her on. Hoping she'd find a way to balance her love for her sisters with her feelings of duty.

Then she meets Harlan, a mercenary who sets his eyes on her. He sees more than just the mask that Ursula shows the world, and tries hard to get to the woman behind it.

The way Harlan and Ursula interact with each other is wonderful to read. Their courtship is half battle, half romance. Ursula is stubborn, but in Harlan she met her match. I was rooting for him to get Ursula to open up and let him inside her defenses.

As for the overall story: The events started in the first book find a thrilling climax in this one. This series was meant to be a trilogy at first, so the major storylines are solved. still there are lots of things that would lend themselves perfectly for more stories, and I'm happy that there will at least be two more books in this series. You can bet I'll be impatiently waiting for those.

I'm not sure if this book is readable as a standalone. You would probably miss out on things. But apart from that: this series is too good to just skip the first two books. so if you haven't started on this series yet: Get reading!

Why should you read it:
It's an awesome Fantasy Romance


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Tuesday 19 May 2015

Teaser Tuesdays - Fireborn


But here I was, out on the streets in the cold, dead hours of the night, trying to keep warm as I waited in the shadows for the man who was slated to die this night.

(page 1, Fireborn by Keri Arthur)

buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery

===

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Monday 18 May 2015

Godsquad - Book Review


Godsquad
by Heide Goody and Iain Grant


What is it about:
The Team:
Joan of Arc, the armour-plated teen saint of Orleans.
Francis of Assisi, friend to all the animals whether they like it or not.
St Christopher, the patron saint of travel who by papal decree has never existed – no matter how much he argues otherwise.

The Mission: An impossible prayer has been received by Heaven and it’s a prayer that only Mary, Mother of God, can answer. Unfortunately, Mary hasn’t been seen in decades and is off wandering the Earth somewhere. This elite team of Heavenly saints are sent down to Earth to find Mary before Armageddon is unleashed on an unsuspecting world.

Godsquad:
A breathless comedy road trip from Heaven to France and all points in-between featuring murderous butchers, a coachload of Welsh women, flying portaloos, nuclear missiles, giant rubber dragons, an army of dogs, a very rude balloon and way too much French wine.


What did I think of it:
This book is set in the same world as Clovenhoof, which I very much enjoyed. so when I was given the opportunity to get my hands on a review copy, I jumped at the chance.

And I think I like this book even more than Clovenhoof!

I really liked Joan of Arc. She's a feisty heroine on a mission, but is hampered by her two blundering sidekicks. She's been 19 for centuries, and is dying to do something other than being a saint in Heaven.

Christopher is a really fun character as well. he soon discovers being a saint who never existed has its whole set of problems and perks. Francis was the character I connected with the least, although he does have some funny scenes.

From the start there's lots of action and silliness. I kept snorting at all the strange situations the heroes manage to get into. The humor is leaning a bit towards the banal at times, but not enough to annoy me. Mostly I very much enjoyed this book.

If you take religion seriously, you should stay clear of this book, but if you can handle a bit of humor with your religion, and are looking for a fun and action-packed read, you should give this book a try.

Why should you read it:
It's a funny and action-packed read.


Buy it on Amazon

Friday 15 May 2015

Grave Consequences - Book Review


Grave Consequences (Emma Fielding Mystery #2)
by Dana Cameron


What is it about:
Archaeologist Emma Fielding is beginning to doubt the wisdom of spending her vacation in England helping friends excavate a twelfth-century abbey, especially when they uncover an all-too-modern skeleton in a nearby medieval graveyard. But it's the second discovery--of a murdered graduate student recently missing from the dig--that suggests to Emma that Marchester isn't exactly the quiet riverside town that it appears to be.

There are dark passions and lethal secrets buried here, heinous crimes that shake the conflicted community to its core. And it's up to Emma, an outsider far from home, to delve into a past that too many people--including her friends--would do anything to hide.


What did I think of it:
I very much enjoyed the first book in this series, so was eager to give the second book a try as well.

And this is yet another really great read.

I like Emma. She has her flaws, and she keeps digging into secrets she should possibly leave untouched, but then we wouldn't get a cool mystery, so I'm only too happy to see Emma soldier on forwards where others would back away.

After the American setting in book one, I very much enjoyed the change to a British setting in this book. Emma is out of her element and a stranger, but still she manages to find people who can help her with her investigation.

Next to the murder mystery there's lots of other things going on. People at odds with each other, secrets, jealousy, and lots more. Slowly things fit together and you get a picture of what is going on. I very much enjoyed reading how things developed and how Emma tried to solve all the mysteries that surround her.

All in all this is a really enjoyable read, and if not for the fact that the next book in this series got lost in the mail after I tracked it down online, I'd be reading it now. But I will hunt down another copy soon, because I want more.

Why should you read it:
It's a very enjoyable Murder Mystery.


Buy the Kindle version on Amazon

Thursday 14 May 2015

Dystopia - Book Review


Dystopia: Post-Apocalyptic Art, Fiction, Movies & More
by David Golder


What is it about:
We have an obsession with broken societies set in futuristic worlds, curious but terrifying new technologies and post-apocalyptic dusty wastelands where survivors grow more desperate every day. Dystopian worlds created in art, books, movies, TV shows and even music have always been hugely popular, stemming from such fantastic literature as 1984 and Day of the Triffids, but their popularity is, if possible, increasing.

This exciting new book explores why we are so captivated by gritty, violent worlds and looks at how recent releases such as The Hunger Games have created an incredible snowball effect, encouraging new works and reminding us of the classics. Fantastic contemporary artwork by a range of great artists features alongside punchy text, bringing to life dystopian worlds full of cyberpunk fashion where the cameras are always watching...


What did I think of it:
You might know I'm a sucker for a good Dystopian story, so when I saw this book at the local bookstore I just couldn't resist.

The cool cover and the artwork inside the book were huge factors in my decision to buy this book as well!


And after reading the book I can advice this book to anyone who likes the artwork, and who wants a list of Dystopian books and movies.

The whole blah about why Dystopian books and movies are popular isn't very interesting, but this book is a joy to look at, and it names lots of Dystopian books, I hadn't heard about before. I will certainly investigate further, and get my trotters on some of the works mentioned.

This book will end up on my keeper shelves, and I will drool over the beautiful artwork from time to time.

Why should you read it:
It gives a great list of Dystopian books and movies to check out.


buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery

Wednesday 13 May 2015

Asylum - Book Review


Asylum (Asylum #1)
by Madeleine Roux


What is it about:
For sixteen-year-old Dan Crawford, New Hampshire College Prep is more than a summer program—it's a lifeline. An outcast at his high school, Dan is excited to finally make some friends in his last summer before college. But when he arrives at the program, Dan learns that his dorm for the summer used to be a sanatorium, more commonly known as an asylum. And not just any asylum—a last resort for the criminally insane.

As Dan and his new friends, Abby and Jordan, explore the hidden recesses of their creepy summer home, they soon discover it's no coincidence that the three of them ended up here. Because the asylum holds the key to a terrifying past. And there are some secrets that refuse to stay buried.

Featuring found photos of unsettling history and real abandoned asylums and filled with chilling mystery and page-turning suspense, Madeleine Roux's teen debut, Asylum, is a horror story that treads the line between genius and insanity.


What did I think of it:
This is a nice read.

I had expected it to be creepy and suspenseful, but that was not to be.

Largely this book is Dan, Abby and Jordan bickering and being irresponsible. I really wondered how they managed to get into this summer program, they didn't seem dedicated enough. There is some mystery of course, but it never really got creepy in my opinion. Instead this book sometimes even tries too hard to be mysterious. It felt forced and unbelievable.

But maybe it's just me. Often people talk about a book being creepy, or scary, and when I read it I don't find it creepy at all. So I might be a jaded piggy, and this book might spook the crap out of anybody else.

All in all I thought this was an entertaining read, but I don't think I will read the sequel.

Why should you read it:
It's a nice Paranormal YA read, and maybe you do find it creepy.


buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery

Tuesday 12 May 2015

The Talon of the Hawk - Spotlight and Giveaway

Today I'm proud to host a spotlight for The Talon of the Hawk by Jeffe Kennedy. This is the third book in an amazing series. I was lucky enough to read an Advance Reader Copy of the book, and can tell you: it's awesome!


The Talon of the Hawk (The Twelve Kingdoms #3)
by Jeffe Kennedy


A HEAVY CROWN

Three daughters were born to High King Uorsin, in place of the son he wanted. The youngest, lovely and sweet. The middle, pretty and subtle, with an air of magic. And the eldest, the Heir. A girl grudgingly honed to leadership, not beauty, to bear the sword and honor of the king.

Ursula’s loyalty is as ingrained as her straight warrior’s spine. She protects the peace of the Twelve Kingdoms with sweat and blood, her sisters from threats far and near. And she protects her father to prove her worth. But she never imagined her loyalty would become an open question on palace grounds. That her father would receive her with a foreign witch at one side and a hireling captain at the other—that soldiers would look on her as a woman, not as a warrior. She also never expected to decide the destiny of her sisters, of her people, of the Twelve Kingdoms and the Thirteenth. Not with her father still on the throne and war in the air. But the choice is before her. And the Heir must lead...


pre-order: Amazon - BN - bookdepository

---------------------------

Excerpt:

Too unsettled to rest now, and since I was already in the barracks courtyard, I decided a light workout might do me the most good. Burn off some nervous energy and maybe loosen up my back muscles.
With the afternoon waning, most of the troops had cleared the practice yard. Finding an open corner, I stood quietly for a moment, centering myself and asking Danu’s blessing for a clear mind and a bright blade.
Drawing my sword, I held it upright before me, hilt down and point up. This moment always gave me a measure of peace, the gathering pause before the flow of motion. Danu’s spirit filled me and I moved into the first and simplest of her sword forms.
Most children begin with her first form, Midnight. I’d learned it younger than most, at five, clonking myself regularly with the wooden practice blade. Salena had just given birth to Andi, and Uorsin had been raging through Ordnung in the hours since.
I’d heard his bellowing summons long before he burst into the nursery. Though I remembered little else about that time—other than feeling bereft, summarily dismissed from my mother’s attention—that memory blazed bright in my mind. My father, who already frightened me more than a little, standing like a giant amid the miniature toys of the nursery, his red-gold hair bright and blue eyes blazing.
“Curtsy for the High King,” my nurse prompted, poking me with a shaking hand, but I’d stood frozen, clutching the doll my mother had just given me, so I would have a baby to play with, too.
“What is this?” Uorsin yanked the doll out of my hands and threw it across the room. With contempt, he took in the little table and tiny teacups I’d set out for my doll and me to share and dashed a big hand through them, sending china shards flying. “You are my heir, Ursula, whether I like it or not—and here you are fussing about with dolls and fripperies.”
Even then I knew better than to let him see me cry. Mother told me to save the tears, tuck them away, and take them out later. They were for me, not for him. She did the same.
“Come with me, Daughter. It’s high time you learned something useful, if you’re to be a credit to the throne. Do you know how many people died so you can sit here in your pretty rooms playing with pretty things?”
“No, my King.”
“Thousands. Tens of thousands. Are you worthy of their sacrifice? Of my sacrifice?”
“No?”
“No. But you can be. Your mother has a new daughter now and has cast you aside. I’m all you have. Understand?”
I did understand. Then and in the days since. He took me down to the practice yard and started teaching me how to hold a blade. When I tripped over my dress, he ridiculed me. When I fell, he made me get up on my own. My dolls and dresses were packed away, replaced with practice daggers and wooden swords, pants and shirts better suited for drilling.
While Uorsin continued to oversee my progress, another instructor took over my daily training. A priestess of Danu, Kaedrin taught me the twelve sword forms, starting with the Midnight form. My father’s brute-force techniques would never serve me well, she said. Kaedrin showed me how to use the strength of my lower body, the speed and flexibility of my lighter physique.
The twelfth form—the most complicated and demanding—finishes at Noon pose, one that took me two full years to master. It’s one of Danu’s tests that she demands the most strenuous postures and intricate maneuvers of the blade after you’ve already executed eleven other forms and your muscles are weeping from exhaustion.
I held Noon pose, up on the toes of one foot, the other leg poised in front of me to protect and deflect with a snap kick, my sword high above and behind, ready to slice into Snake Strike, my other hand palm out, steady. Danu’s salute.
My back sang with the strain, but I refused to drop before the count of twelve, as Kaedrin would have expected of me. As I lowered body and blade, my gaze snagged on the intent stare of the Dasnarian captain. He showed no sign of overt aggression, but I moved my sword and self into a defensive posture, ready. A slight smile twitched at his grim mouth. He raised his short blade—a wide, bevel-edged hunting knife—and held the flat against his forehead.
Then he strode away, leaving me wondering. Challenge or salute—or both?


---------------------------


About Jeffe Kennedy:

Jeffe Kennedy is an award-winning author whose works include non-fiction, poetry, short fiction, and novels. She has been a Ucross Foundation Fellow, received the Wyoming Arts Council Fellowship for Poetry, and was awarded a Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Award. Her essays have appeared in many publications, including Redbook.

Her most recent works include a number of fiction series: the fantasy romance novels of A Covenant of Thorns; the contemporary BDSM novellas of the Facets of Passion, and an erotic contemporary serial novel, Master of the Opera. A fourth series, the fantasy trilogy The Twelve Kingdoms, hit the shelves starting in May 2014 and book 1, The Mark of the Tala, received a starred Library Journal review and has been nominated for the RT Book of the Year while the sequel, The Tears of the Rose, has been nominated for best fantasy romance of the year. A fifth series, the highly anticipated erotic romance trilogy, Falling Under, released starting with Going Under, followed by Under His Touch and Under Contract.
She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with two Maine coon cats, plentiful free-range lizards and a very handsome Doctor of Oriental Medicine.

Jeffe can be found online at her website: JeffeKennedy.com, every Sunday at the popular Word Whores blog, on Facebook, and pretty much constantly on Twitter @jeffekennedy. She is represented by Connor Goldsmith of Fuse Literary.

http://jeffekennedy.com

https://www.facebook.com/Author.Jeffe.Kennedy

https://twitter.com/jeffekennedy

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1014374.Jeffe_Kennedy

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Monday 11 May 2015

Teasing on a Monday - End of Days



And I'm standing here, a moonstruck teenager pining for an enemy soldier. What am I, crazy?

(page 63, End of Days by Susan Ee)

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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Friday 8 May 2015

The 100 - Book Review


The 100 (The Hundred #1)
by Kass Morgan


What is it about:
NO ONE HAS SET FOOT ON EARTH IN CENTURIES - UNTIL NOW.

Ever since a devastating nuclear war, humanity has lived on spaceships far above Earth's radioactive surface. Now, one hundred juvenile delinquents - considered expendable by society - are being sent on a dangerous mission: to recolonize the planet. It could be their second chance at life... or it could be a suicide mission.

Clark was arrested for treason, though she's haunted by the memory of what she really did. Wells, the chancellor's son, came to Earth for the girl he loves - but will she ever forgive him? Reckless Bellamy fought his way onto the transport pod to protect his sister, the other half of the only pair of siblings in the universe. And Glass managed to escape back onto the ship, only to find that life there is just as dangerous as she feared it would be on Earth.

Confronted with a savage land and haunted by secrets from their pasts, the hundred must fight to survive. They were never meant to be heroes, but they may be mankind's last hope.


What did I think of it:
The first thing I thought about when reading that Earth was abandoned because of radiation, and now people were returning to its surface: mutants!

Yes: I hoped for the teens to have to battle scary mutated humans and animals.

Alas...

This first book is mainly about how the lead characters ended up being send to Earth. There's some bickering once they get to Earth, some love triangle drama, but no mutants! (I won't count that one two-headed deer.)

Not that this is a bad book. It was just very different from what I had expected it to be. It's more a set up of world, characters, and things to come than a book about battling for survival.

I really liked some of the teens. Especially Bellamy is a cool character. He's practical, good to have on your side in a fight, and despite his background a bit naive in my opinion.

Overall this is an entertaining read, and at the end of the book there's an event that makes me curious about what will happen next. So I think I will get my trotters on book two one of these days.

Why should you read it:
It's an enjoyable SciFi read.


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Thursday 7 May 2015

On McPig's Wishlist - The Godless

This sounds like it might be a cool read, but the mention that it's epic fantasy makes me wary. I will most probably get hold of it some day though, if only for the cover.


The Godless (Children Trilogy #1)
by Ben Peek


The first in a crackling, unputdownable new epic fantasy series, introducing a fascinating, original new world and an incredible heroine.

The Gods are dying. Fifteen thousand years after the end of their war, their bodies can still be found across the world. They kneel in forests, lie beneath mountains, and rest at the bottom of the world's ocean. For thousands of years, men and women have awoken with strange powers that are derived from their bodies.

The city Mireea is built against a huge stone wall that stretches across a vast mountain range, following the massive fallen body of the god, Ger. Ayae, a young cartographer’s apprentice, is attacked and discovers she cannot be harmed by fire. Her new power makes her a target for an army that is marching on Mireea. With the help of Zaifyr, a strange man adorned with charms, she is taught the awful history of ‘cursed’ men and women, coming to grips with her new powers and the enemies they make. Meanwhile, the saboteur Bueralan infiltrates the army that is approaching her home to learn its terrible secret.


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Wednesday 6 May 2015

Fade Out - Book Review


Fade Out (The Morganville Vampires #7)
by Rachel Caine


What is it about:
Without the evil vampire Bishop ruling over the town of Morganville,the resident vampires have made major concessions to the human population. With their newfound freedoms, Claire Danvers and her friends are almost starting to feel comfortable again...

Now Claire can actually concentrate on her studies, and her friend Eve joins the localtheatrecompany. But when one of Eve’s castmates goes missingafter starting work on a shortdocumentary, Eve suspects the worst. Claire and Eve soon realize that this film project, whose subject is the vampires themselves, is a whole lot bigger—and way more dangerous—than anyone suspected.


What did I think of it:
I will confess: It took me some time to pick up this book, because I was scared my favorite character wouldn't be the same anymore after the events in the previous book.

And indeed there are changes to Myrnin's behavior, but luckily the core of his personality is largely the same. I was very happy with that, because for me Myrnin makes this series so fun to read. Without him, it would still be nice series, but not as cool as I think it is now.

The story in this book is not as tense as the previous book, but it's entertaining enough. There are some things happening that will have impact on the next books, and it looks like those might become a lot more suspenseful again.

What I don't like about this series, is the small digs at Eve's Goth appearance. I'm expecting that she'll turn into a boring beige girl somewhere in the future. But sadly enough books that don't deal out digs or negative remarks about Goths are a rarity.

All in all this is an enjoyable read, and I will continue reading this series.

Why should you read it:
It's a really nice Paranormal YA read.


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