Fragments of Life

Winner of The Iron Fey Giveaway + an Upcoming Event (with giveaways)

2011-12-16T14:49:00.000+08:00

Last month, I praised The Iron Knight. And with it, I realized that my lovely followers deserve a little something from me. So, I opened The Iron Fey Giveaway. There were 88 entries from people coming from different parts of the world like Philippines and Japan for Asia, Czech Republic and UK for Europe, Australia and US.

But the lucky winner of The Iron King by Julie Kagawa is…

Clarissa (Bookadicea) who said:

OH my! I would love to win The Iron King. Thanks for this Fab Giveaway!

Congratulations! I already emailed you. Due to the holiday season and the hectic schedules that people have at this time of the year, I’m giving you 72 hours to respond instead of just 48 hours like the usual.

Thanks to everybody who entered! To those who didn’t win…don’t worry. Early this year, I and my co-blogger, Kai of Amaterasu Reads hosted Dystopian Domination.

Guess what?

There’s a part 2! Yes, there will be Dystopian Domination 2 in January 2012. That’s just a few weeks away! There will be lots of giveaways! Remember to check back on the first day of January for the kick-off.

Character Interview: Treygan of Tangled Tides

2011-12-15T12:03:00.001+08:00

Hi everyone! A couple of days ago, I was captivated by a certain novel about sea monsters. Today, I have Treygan with me, one of Yara’s love interests in the novel Tangled Tides by Karen Hooper.

You’ve met vampires, werewolves, angels and faeries, but you haven’t met this hottie yet. He’s a merman with kickass abilities and a unique personality: Treygan.

Treygan, the stormy-eyed merman who turned Yara mer, will stop at nothing and sacrifice everything to protect his people—until he falls for Yara. (from Karen’s site)

If you and Yara were both human...do you think you'd still have a chance at winning her heart?

I would like to hope so, but I honestly don't know. An existence without my powers and abilities is impossible for me to imagine. It's all I've ever known and it's what makes me who I am. Thankfully, who I am as a sea monster is who Yara fell in love with. I don't want to think about how different or mundane our lives would be if we were both human.

Do you regret anything?

I regret many things: what I did to Kimber, my lack of a relationship with my father, and many others. Some days I even question whether or not I handled Yara's transformation in the best manner. I can't change the past, but I can try to do better in the present and future.

Can you tell me about one of your on-land experiences?

In the past decade or so, I haven't been a fan of being on land in the Earth realm, but when I was a child my grandmother took me on a train ride, and that was fascinating. We had our own cabin car and I remember loving all the sounds of the train. Most of the time I rode with my face plastered against the window, watching the landscape zoom past us.

What is the most interesting/intriguing human practice/custom for you?

Sleeping, and the whole dream and nightmare phenomenon. Yara swears she still has dreams and nightmares when she's resting, but I have never experienced so it's foreign to me.

Do you have some sort of holiday underwater? How do you celebrate it?

Oh yes, we have so many holidays and celebrations in Rathe. We did the best we could here in this realm to imitate our customs back home, but there is no comparison. We have three seasons in Rathe and we celebrate each one in its own unique way. I have a feeling you may be reading about them in other volumes of our memoirs.

If Rownan wasn't a selkie, do you think there is a chance that you and him could be good brothers or even friends?

Before the gate closed, Rownan and I were very close as brothers, and we were great friends. Our beliefs and morals divided us. How the selkies--well, Jack in particular--ever thought killing an innocent girl would solve our problems, was insane and barbaric to all merfolk. The Rownan I grew up with would have never even considered doing something like that. It's amazing how I can share blood with him, yet we are so different.

Thank you for dropping by, Treygan! See you in Book 2!

Review: Tiger's Voyage by Colleen Houck

2011-12-14T15:47:00.000+08:00

Description from the book:

Hardcover, 543 pages

November 1, 2011, Splinter

Danger. Heartbreak. Choices.

Is forever too long to wait for true love?

Five mythical Chinese dragons and the open sea beckon nineteen-year-old Kelsey who must embark on a third voyage – this time to find the goddess Durga’s Black Pearl Necklace and free her beloved Ren from both the tiger’s curse and his sudden amnesia. Ren’s bad-boy brother, Kishan, however, has other plans, and the two vie for her affection and try to outsmart those intent on foiling their goal.

Tiger’s Voyage, the third book in the Tiger’s Curse series, spins a deliciously suspenseful tale of enchanted creatures, love-torn hearts, and edge-of-your-seat action as Kelsey, Ren, and Kishan journey toward their true destiny.

Source: Bought

My Thoughts:

Warning: There is a possibility that this review is spoilery for people who haven’t read Tiger’s Curse and Tiger’s Quest.

I admired Kelsey starting from Tiger’s Curse and all throughout Tiger’s Quest, so it’s not a surprise that in Tiger’s Voyage, I continued cheering her on. But this time, half the time, I wanted to shake her and scold her. Kelsey’s character remained to be loving, generous, loyal and dedicated. But with Ren’s amnesia and the gap between them, her heart was once again cracking and tearing apart. It was a good thing that Kishan was a constant presence in her life. Kishan was comfortable to be with, dependable, supportive, peaceful and simply good. After months of Ren still not being able to remember her, Kelsey followed Mr. Kadam’s advice to let him be, not put pressure on him and try to be happy. Much to her surprise, it worked well.

Houck brought in five Chinese dragons in Tiger’s Voyage. They came in different colors and personalities. I enjoyed reading about them especially when they gave challenges to our trio. Each one of their realms was stunning and unforgettable. The red dragon and the ice dragon were the ones I liked best. The Indian mythology continued to pour into the pages with another tidbit from Durga’s past. The Black Pearl Necklace that Kelsey and the tigers sought was a part of it.

The journey was filled with magic, struggles and emotion. The love triangle that Kelsey was involved in really made an impact in her life and in her decisions. The tug-of-war in her chest was so strong. Her decision, her choice will change two lives – one for the better and one for the worst. She could make one happy and one miserable.

The characters changed and matured with the obstacles that came their way. Kelsey had learned to let go and try to enjoy life. Kishan became patient and stood back, remaining to be a dependable friend and lover. Ren, on the other hand, was still trying to remember who Kelsey was. He became more patient but at the same time his selfless trait kicked in which led him to hard decisions. I got to know a little more about Nilima and Lokesh in this installment. I also encountered new characters such as Wes, the Southern gentleman diving instructor who had eyes for Kelsey. He brought a different kind of humor into the story.

Tiger’s Voyage is the best of the series so far. It just keeps getting better and better. I’m dying for the fourth book! Fascinating, obsessive, heart-tearing, heart-pumping, thrilling and romantic, this installment will quench readers’ thirst for love, adventure and mythology. I highly recommend this series to fantasy and romance readers!

Rating:

Waiting on Wednesday: Brave New Love: 15 Dystopian Tales of Desire & Asphodel

2011-12-14T15:17:00.000+08:00

Hi everyone! It’s been so long since I posted a Waiting on Wednesday. It sort of feels strange to be able to right now.

I rarely read anthologies but when one catches my attention, I make sure that I get my hands on it. Like this next book that I’m presenting to you guys:

Brave New Love: 15 Dystopian Tales of Desire

Publication Date: March 6th 2012

Published by Running Press Kids

Young love has always had its challenges, but even so, the world falling apart at its seams is a pretty big obstacle. This stellar collection dystopian tales explores survival of the fittest in terms of love, passion, and humanity. When the survival of the human race is at stake, what will it take for the bond between two people to hold strong together?

Featuring some of the most well known and best-selling names of the dystopian genre, as well as the hottest up-and-coming authors, this anthology includes works from Jeanne Du Prau (City of Ember), Carrie Ryan (The Forest of Hands and Teeth), Diana Peterfreund (Rampant), Jesse Karp (Those That Wake), Kiera Cass (The Selection), Andrew Smith, and William Sleator (The Boy Who Wouldn't Die)

Everyone who has read my past reviews and WoWs will know that I’m a sucker for mythology. The first book that I’m waiting for will actually be published just a few days from now.

Asphodel by Lauren Hammond

Publication Date: December 20, 2011

Published by S.B. Addison Books

Persephone has been running for her entire life. Running from the humans to keep her immortality a secret. And running from a man who haunts her dreams. Not a man but a god, who will stop at nothing until he gets what he wants. And what he wants most, is her.

Trapped in the realm of the dead, Persephone plans to return to the land of the living. The underworld is a terrifying place where ghosts roam freely, three headed dogs patrol the gates, and it’s a living grave where the rules of earth and the warmth of the sun no longer apply. But then, something unexpected happens. Persephone finds herself falling for the god who abducted her, the god who has chased her for five thousand years, a god who is none other than death himself, Hades.

Ripped out of the underworld by Zeus, Persephone must find a pomegranate to return to the realm of the dead and to her beloved. Consuming only a seed of the fruit of the dead would bind Persephone to spend her life beneath the earth’s core with Hades. But Zeus has reduced every pomegranate tree in the world to ash. Except one. Persephone must locate that one remaining pomegranate tree, a quest that could ignite a war between the two mightiest of the god’s. A war that could cause Persephone to lose the only family she’s ever known or give up a love that comes only once every five thousand years.

That’s it for my WoW! What are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Review: Hades by Alexandra Adornetto

2011-12-11T16:58:00.000+08:00

Book Description from the ARC:

ARC, 422 pages

August 2011, Feiwel & Friends

Heaven help her.

Even the love of her boyfriend, Xavier Woods, and her siblings, Gabriel and Ivy, can’t keep the angel Bethany Church from being tricked into a motorcycle ride that ends up in Hell. There, Jake Thorn bargains for Beth’s release back to Earth. But what he asks of her will destroy her, and quite possibly, her loved ones, as well. Can he be trusted in this wager?

Alexandra Adornetto’s Hades has it all – good and evil, angels and demons, romance and heartbreak.

Source: Ksenia from Feiwel & Friends (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

Beth’s life as an angel on earth continued in Hades, the sequel of Halo. After a year, she was more accustomed to lifestyle on earth. She was more ‘humanized.’ I think what made her more human was her boyfriend, Xander. Having a relationship with a human who accepts her for what she was, made her transition easier. Their love connected them in ways that were both humanly and angelically impossible.

But one night, during Halloween, Jake tricked Beth to ride with him to Hades. Beth in Hades was an imbalance, a ticking bomb waiting for the moment to explode. Surrounded by demons, violence and wickedness, she struggled to survive. But not all creatures in Hades were evil. She found a friend in Tucker, Jake’s assistant and Hanna, the eternal underworld servant. Both of them have their own sad stories to tell, both of which included Jake.

Jake Thorn showed a soft, slightly tame side in Halo. The same thing happened in this novel. In Hades, he let his cold, ruthless side fade a little. I got to see how Jake, despite his being evil, was capable of doing small deeds of goodness. He protected and took care of Beth, although his concept of doing these was distorted.

The nine circles from Dante’s Inferno were there along with Lucifer and the eight first fallen angels. Adornetto’s version of Hell was a collision of modern technology, earthly desires and evil as old as time.

Hades is better than Halo with a more interesting plot, striving and suffering characters and a whole lot of romance. Although at some point, I found the pace slow, it’s fairly easy to breeze through. I was engaged.

Rating:

Review: Tangled Tides by Karen Amanda Hooper

2011-12-05T10:46:00.001+08:00

Book Description via Goodreads:

eARC, 328 pages

Rhemalda Publishing, November 25, 2011

Yara Jones doesn’t believe in sea monsters—until she becomes one.

When a hurricane hits her island home and she wakes up with fins, Yara finds herself tangled up in an underwater world of mysterious merfolk and secretive selkies. Both sides believe Yara can save them by fulfilling a broken promise and opening the sealed gateway to their realm, but they are battling over how it should be done. The selkies want to take her life. The merfolk want something far more precious.

Treygan, the stormy-eyed merman who turned Yara mer, will stop at nothing and sacrifice everything to protect his people—until he falls for Yara. The tides turn as Yara fights to save herself, hundreds of sea creatures, and the merman who has her heart. She could lose her soul in the process—or she might open the gateway to a love that’s deeper than the oceans.

Young Adult fans of Mermaids, Selkies, Sirens and Gorgons will love this tale of the sacrifice one makes for genuine love. Love that could be lost at any moment to the ever-changing tides

Source: Rhemalda Publishing (Thanks!)

My Thoughts:

Yara was a caring, determined, loving girl with a temper. Her character was a likable, relatable and realistic one. She was an orphan and her only family was her Uncle Lloyd. She had a boyfriend – Rownan – who was ruggedly handsome but had a coat with secrets and lies covering his true identity. During a strong storm, a stranger came and took Yara away. That night was the night her night changed forever, the night she was turned into a mermaid. As she struggled to get over the shock of being half-woman and half-fish, she discovered that her reality was not as true as she believed it to be. She wanted answers and she will stop at nothing to get them.

Treygan was the stranger who took Yara to sea. In the beginning, I had my doubts about him. But he proved to be trustworthy to Yara. He was a good guardian to Yara and loyal to his merfolk. He’s charming and handsome but there’s a distance between him and other people. There’s something dark about Treygan. He had too heavy a burden on his shoulders. But he had a soft spot for Yara.

Yara and Treygan’s relationship was one based on trust and a buried connection. The attraction zinged between them underwater and on land. As the guardian of Yara, Treygan had to be near her almost all the time. The obligation to protect her turned into love at some point in Yara’s adjustment to merlife. The threat to her life, danger and time spent together sped up the heightening of romance between them. They shared awkward moments as well as heart-melting ones. Their pair was a Romeo and Juliet mermaid-merman version that romance lovers will grow to like.

Underwater, Yara found out a shocking revelation about herself. She was the key to open the Gate to Rathe, the realm of merfolk and selkies. 18 years ago, the gorgons closed the Gate, enraged at an unfulfilled promise. Since then some of the merfolk and selkies have been locked out of Rathe, unable to communicate and get back to their loved ones in their realm. To solve this problem, on the sunset of her birthday, she was supposed to be a part of the ultimate sacrifice.

Tangled Tides is a refreshing paranormal novel that offers readers an exciting and thrilling adventure, a colorful and tragic history of underwater mythology, a cast of exotic and unforgettable characters and a sweet romance that will captivate readers.

Rating:

Review: Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel

2011-12-01T15:58:00.000+08:00

Book Description via Goodreads:

Hardcover, 470 pages

October 18, 2011, Del Rey

Love can never die.

Love conquers all, so they say. But can Cupid’s arrow pierce the hearts of the living and the dead—or rather, the undead? Can a proper young Victorian lady find true love in the arms of a dashing zombie?

The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria—a high-tech nation modeled on the manners, mores, and fashions of an antique era. A teenager in high society, Nora Dearly is far more interested in military history and her country’s political unrest than in tea parties and debutante balls. But after her beloved parents die, Nora is left at the mercy of her domineering aunt, a social-climbing spendthrift who has squandered the family fortune and now plans to marry her niece off for money. For Nora, no fate could be more horrible—until she’s nearly kidnapped by an army of walking corpses.

But fate is just getting started with Nora. Catapulted from her world of drawing-room civility, she’s suddenly gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos and confronting “The Laz,” a fatal virus that raises the dead—and hell along with them. Hardly ideal circumstances. Then Nora meets Bram Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble . . . and dead. But as is the case with the rest of his special undead unit, luck and modern science have enabled Bram to hold on to his mind, his manners, and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to tenderness, there’s no turning back. Eventually, they know, the disease will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then, beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire.

In Dearly, Departed, romance meets walking-dead thriller, spawning a madly imaginative novel of rip-roaring adventure, spine-tingling suspense, and macabre comedy that forever redefines the concept of undying love.

Source: Del Rey and Lia Habel (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

Dearly, Departed’s main character is Nora, a short, striking (in both senses of the word), stubborn girl who takes after her genius father in several ways. But she’s now an orphan and her only family left was her aunt Gene, a pretty woman with issues on money handling, and her best friend, Pamela Roe. Life was hard enough as it was, as Nora mourned her father’s death. But fate decided to make her life even more difficult by subjecting her to a kidnapping by the walking, living undead.

The Lazarus, the zombie-turning disease, is explained scientifically in a more detailed manner than most scifi movies. Instead of the usual zombie versus humans plot, Habel went for something refreshing. Not all the humans affected by the Lazarus virus were the insane, human-eating type. Some of them were still themselves. They had conscience, capability to think and heart. The only difference they had from a human was that their bodies were different.

Bram was one of the zombies who were still in their right minds. He and his team saved Nora from the Grays – nasty zombies. He was unlike any other. He didn’t brood. He didn’t let his being a zombie out him down. He was an optimist and a thinker. He tried to be as human as possible while adapting to his new dead body and urges caused by the Lazarus. He was a dedicated captain, a loyal friend and a sincere lover. His humor, dedication, strength, carefulness, charm and protectiveness made him an unforgettable character.

There were several narrators in Dearly, Departed. Normally, I wouldn’t go for this kind of narration but Habel pulled it off fabulously. Since the story was taking place simultaneously in various settings, the mixture of the narrations worked. I got an overall report of all the things happening. The variation of the voices also added to the awesomeness of the novel.

The plot was jam-packed with humor, drama, action, angst and revelations. It got more and more exciting as the story progressed. What I thought was a simple plot turned out to be a complex one. The way that the romance developed blew me away. It was utterly captivating and realistic. I felt the tension and the hesitation of both Nora and Bram, as well as their acceptance of each other and of their relationship.

Dearly, Departed is an amazing debut to be cherished by paranormal, science fiction and romance readers. With characters to love and to hate, a plot to drive you crazy and a budding romance to look forward to, this novel claimed and deserved the ‘must-be-read-asap-YA-novel’ for late 2011. I highly recommend this!

Rating:

Review: The Seven - The Key of Credence by Veronica Mist

2011-11-21T12:28:00.001+08:00

Book Description via Goodreads:

Paperback, 262 pages

October 7, 2011, Isshin Dream Publishing

First of five books. The Key of Credence tells us about Ryan and her friends and how their simple curiosity brought forth a multitude of problems to them. This book lets the readers experience an entirely new and different world—one that involves the Heavens and the Helles, and most of all—it shows how the humans themselves and how the innate goodness of their souls can create a huge difference on just about everything.

Source: Veronica Mist (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

Mist offered a story that has a little bit of everything, adventure, horror, paranormal and friendship. First of all, I would like to say that this is the first time that I’ve read a YA novel by a Filipina author and I can really see the Philippine influence in her work.

Ryan is too old to be considered a kid but too young to be considered a teen. I picture her as a 12 year old girl, nearing 13, in my mind. With fair skin, a blaze inside her that makes everything she does and says intense, protectiveness for her family and friends and a curiosity that is present in all of us, she gave readers an interesting heroine. She was interested in the paranormal – 6^th sense, ghosts and the unexplained. So it wasn’t surprising that she would come up with a slightly crazy idea – to go to the middle of the woods at midnight with her friends and attempt to open their third eyes (mostly known as the sight needed so they can see ghosts.)

That little incident, of course, started the disaster and the adventure of Ryan and her friends. Now, they could see spirits and demons and other unidentified beings. Shocked and half-sane, the girls experienced a real terror that troubled their young minds. I love these girls. They were so different from one another, each one of them having a different ‘fire’ inside them. Dan is eccentric but beautiful. Ryan is hot-headed and passionate. Sam is smart and confident. Rei is peaceful, the usual peacemaker of the group.

Intero Regnum, the world in between the mortal world and Heaven/Hell, is the ideal place for fantasy lovers to go. Filled with all kinds of spirits from all the mythologies you’ve ever read about, including gnomes, beautiful elves, mushroom-like people and Nephilim, this place amazed me. It reminded me of Lord of the Rings, just with a youthful twist.

As Ryan dove deeper into the supernatural world, she met vibrant and intriguing characters – angels, demons, Nephilim, button people, shapeshifters, and more. Did I mention that said Nephilim guys are hot? To claim what was rightfully hers, to fulfill her destiny, she went on a journey that is dangerous, thrilling and surprising. As a kid, I found a thread of maturity in her that solidified as she shouldered a burden and a responsibility so heavy for someone her age. That’s something you have to find out in the novel. :)

The Seven – The Key of Credence is an exotic mix of various mythologies and cultures. It has a strong adventure vibe and a fantastic fantasy setting with a startling horror element. I highly recommend this to fantasy, mythology and paranormal readers!

Rating:

For interested Filipino bloggers, we’re going to be touring a finished copy of this book soon. You can still sign-up for the book tour! We need one more blogger.

Check out the trailer:

Review: The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa + Giveaway

2011-11-15T15:33:00.005+08:00

Book Description via Goodreads:

361 pages, Paperback

October 25, 2011, Harlequin Teen

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Source: Netgalley & Gifted (Thanks, Mom!)

Note:

I’ve been postponing reading The Iron Knight for as long as I could. I got the ebook in Netgalley and I downloaded it right away but I realized that I couldn’t read it at that time. I had just finished The Iron Queen and I wasn’t ready to end the series. Then I tried reading it, I got to less than page 200 before I stopped because again, I didn’t want it to end. And then early this week, I walked in the bookstore, went to the YA section and saw a copy of The Iron Knight. I held on to it and never let go.

My Thoughts:

Ash was always an interesting character for me. Aside from Puck and Meghan, he’s my favorite. I like how his character was a complex ‘badboy’ with a twist – he was an Unseelie Prince. Ash was so many things: determined, fearless, icy to the core but at the same time held a soft spot for Ariella, his former love and Meghan, his queen. From The Iron King, I witnessed how he changed because of Meghan. He left his icy shell, letting himself out into the open, honest and vulnerable. But in The Iron Knight, I met the totality of Ash. He was Winter Prince, vulnerable Ash, exile Ash, and determined Knight. The most important question in this novel was that, who is Ash? Who does he want to be?

With his oath to Meghan, promising he would find a way to come back, he went on a mini-journey to find Grimalkin the cat. Considering that the said cat was always disappearing, it was not an easy task to accomplish. He was accompanied by Robin Goodfellow, who, as always, injected as much humor into this installation as he could. They bickered, threatened each other and fought one another. Through all of this, the tension between them intensified as Ash’s oath to Ariella – to avenge her by killing Puck – weighed on the Unseelie Prince’s shoulders. The friendship and enemy-ship of these two fey guys were an interesting part of the novel.

In an attempt to gain a human soul, Ash, Puck and Grimalkin ventured to a Seer, who knew the way to the End of the World, where Ash could fulfill his oath. It was an unforgettable adventure. I traveled with them, growing weak, eager and anxious as they got one step closer to their destination. The Journey itself was full of surprises. The River of Dreams was one of my favorite parts of the path. It was filled with the debris of human imagination. Imagine a river and now imagine dumping random things in it: books, apples, coffins, dragons and other mythical creatures. I encountered several new, extremely bizarre characters that chilled me and disturbed me.

The Iron Knight stood out because this novel, no matter how fey and magical it was, had a human touch. When I say human touch, I mean that it was close to how a human would narrate. Swirling emotions, dreams, doubts, thoughts, worrying about the future more than necessary, pain, loss, grief, regret and conscience. Throw all of these in with magic, danger, high possibility of death, drama, long distance, no talk relationship and you get an amazing result. Through old memories, dreams and hopes, I got to learn more about Ash than in the first three books combined.

The ending of the Iron Fey Series is phenomenal. I was really happy when I found out that there would be a book for Ash (because I’m Team Ash.) I wasn’t disappointed. I loved every word of The Iron Knight. To everyone who hasn’t read the series yet, this is the perfect time to start it. I highly, insistently, passionately recommend this to everyone who loves fantasy, romance and adventure!

Rating:

*CLOSED* Giveaway: The Iron King/ The Iron Daughter/ The Iron Queen/ The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa *CLOSED*

And now, because I LOVE The Iron Fey Series...and because I've reached 844 followers (which is SO awesome - thank you for the support!), I will be giving away a book from The Iron Fey Series that YOU haven't read yet. One or maybe two lucky winners will win! If you haven't started the series, this is the perfect chance to get your hands on The Iron King. If you've read The Iron King and haven't gotten a copy of the next installment, you can get The Iron Daughter or The Iron Queen. Or if you're Team Ash and you want to finish the series...you can win The Iron Knight.

Rules:

Must be a follower (since, of course, this is a Thank You Giveaway for my followers)
Open internationally! Ends on December 15!

Leave your email address so I can contact you if you win.

Tell me which book of The Iron Fey Series you want to win.

Extra entries (not required):

+2 spread the word: twitter, goodreads, wherever (please leave link)

+2 sidebar link

That's it! Come back on December 15, 2011 to see if you won!

Waiting on Wednesday: Eighteen Kisses + The Immortal Rules

2011-11-09T23:28:00.000+08:00

After a long time, I’m doing a Waiting on Wednesday post! I have two great books for you guys today. These are two books written by my favorite authors ever. I present:

Eighteen Kisses by Laura Jane Cassidy

Publication Date: May 2, 2012

Published by: Puffin Ireland/UK

Jacki King loves being back in Dublin - she's enjoying the music scene and interning at Electric magazine. She still has flashbacks to the murder case she solved the year before, though her friends, especially Nick, keep her distracted.

Until, one day, Jacki's frightening nightmares begin again. And when the police contact her about a local missing girl, she knows the two are connected.

Two years before, on her eighteenth birthday, Kayla Edwards disappeared.

No body has ever been found.

But now Kayla is communicating with Jacki from beyond the grave - and she won't stop until the truth is revealed . . .

Why I Chose This:

I enjoyed Angel Kiss so much! I loved the mystery side, the contemporary side and the music side of the novel. It was really easy to lose myself in the story. I’m a fan of Laura and of course, I’m looking forward to her next novel!

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1) by Julie Kagawa

Publication Date: April 24, 2012

Published by: Harlequin Teen

You will kill. The only question is when.

In the dark days since the insidious Red Lung virus decimated the human population, vampires have risen to rule the crumbling cities and suburbs. Uncontested Princes hold sway over diminished ranks of humans: their "pets." In exchange for their labor, loyalty and of course, their blood, these pets are registered, given food and shelter, permitted to survive.

Unregistered humans cling to fringes, scavenging for survival. Allison Sekemoto and her fellow Unregistereds are hunted, not only by vampires, but by rabids, the unholy result of Red Lung-infected vampires feeding on unwary humans. One night, Allie is attacked by a pack of rabids, saved by an unlikely hero...and turned vampire.

Uncomfortable in her undead skin, Allie falls in with a ragtag crew of humans seeking a cure, or cures: for Rabidism and for Vampirism. She's passing for human...for now. But the hunger is growing and will not be denied. Not for friendship—not even for love.

Why I Chose This:

I’m a big fan of The Iron Fey series. In fact, I just bought my copy of The Iron Knight and I’m currently obsessing over it. I’m savoring every line because I want to make this last novel last as long as I could in my mind. Julie Kagawa is my favorite fantasy author and of course, I’ll be one of the first people to buy this new book of hers. It sounds amazing!

What do you think? Will you be adding these to your wishlist, willing to read these?

Review: Dark of the Moon by Tracy Barrett

2011-11-07T15:34:00.000+08:00

Book Description from the ARC:

ARC, 309 pages

September 19, 2011, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Ariadne is destined to become a goddess of the moon. She leads a lonely life, filled with hours of rigorous training by stern priestesses. Her former friends no longer dare to look at her, much less speak to her. All that she has left are her mother and her beloved, misshapen brother, Asterion, who must be held captive below the palace for his own safety.

So when a ship arrives one spring day, bearing a tribute of slaves from Athens, Ariadne sneaks out to meet it. These newcomers don’t know the ways of Krete; perhaps they won’t be afraid of a girl who will someday be a powerful goddess. And indeed she meets Theseus, the son of the king of Athens. Ariadne finds herself drawn to the newcomer, and soon they form a friendship – one that could perhaps bring something more.

Yet Theseus is doomed to die as an offering to the Minotaur, that monster beneath the palace – unless he can kill the beast first. And that “monster ” is Ariadne’s brother…

Source: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

Ariadne was She-Who-Will-be-Goddess of Krete. As the girl next in line, she underwent training everyday. But it wasn’t as exciting as it sounds. The day she became She-Who-Will-be-Goddess was the day that everything changed for Ariadne. She lost her friends and lost the normalcy of her life. No one really looked and talked to her anymore. She felt distanced from humanity. She was filled with nostalgia, longing and sadness but none of those things weakened her dedication to the Goddess. I loved reading about Ariadne’s life as a priestess. For once, I was glad this was not a story about a hero or a god/goddess. The shift of joyous childhood to strict, arduous womanhood for Ariadne was sudden. The change couldn’t be undone and it saddened me to know of Ariadne’s loneliness, worry and constant concern for her mother and brother.

The customs of Crete were different, so different that the Athenian newcomers thought they were barbaric. But when it came to the Goddess, the Kretans would do anything to please Her. Every year, the Planting Festival takes place. She-Who-is-Goddess offers her body and lets the Moon Goddess inhabit her for three days. Then, as Goddess, she chooses a man – who Velchanos aka Zeus chose to inhabit – to be her consort. Then things get bloody, after three days, the man’s blood will be spilled on the fields. The mythology that Barrett spun was stunning and bizarre. It was one of the most unforgettable ones that I’ve ever encountered.

The life of Theseus was quite the dramatic kind. He was the son of the king of Athens with a poor but lovely girl from a faraway place. As a child, he grew up to be constantly bullied until his teen years. He ventured to Athens to meet his father only to be startled with a shocking decision. Through his share of narration, I’ve come to know how the weak, bullied boy became a man capable of standing his ground.

Asterion, Ariadne’s brother, was unfortunate when it came to the looks department. He was ugly, misshapen. But he had the innocence and the mind of a little boy. He was also He-Who-Will-be-Minos, the guy next in line to take the powers and responsibilities of the Minos. He was capable of assuming the role as he was capable of keeping his toys whole. He lovingly called Ariadne as “Adne” – the only person in Krete who cared to spend time with him, give him honey and other treats and tell him stories. My heart softened for Asterion. The pages with him in them were colorful, always interesting despite the probability of things turning messy.

But with a bunch of newcomers who labeled the important rituals of Krete as barbaric, a handful of doubts and nerves and too many deaths, could the Planting Festival be done according to plan? Or would somebody ruin it?

Dark of the Moon is an interesting, startling tale wrapped in mystery, rituals and uncertainty. This twisted tale of inheritance will surprise and satisfy readers with drama, bloodletting and twists and turns. I recommend this to Greek-myth readers.

Rating:

Review: Matched by Ally Condie

2011-11-05T19:45:00.000+08:00

Book Description via Goodreads:

Paperback, 200 pages

September 20, 2011, Speak

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

Source: Bought

My Thoughts:

The dystopian world of Matched was a world of bits and pieces. The Society was extremely controlling. There were too many rules, too many don’ts and too many limits. A big chunk of history and of humanity was taken away, destroyed, gone forever.

The Matching system was very intriguing for me. The Officials matched two persons – a boy and a girl – to let them build the healthiest and happiest family possible. Her Match was Xander, her longtime best friend. She couldn’t imagine anyone better but handsome and charming Xander. Cassia has never questioned the system until one day at home she saw the face of her Match, only it wasn’t Xander. It was Ky, one of her friends. Ky was mysterious, intriguing and he had a spark within that Cassia wanted to reach. But Ky wasn’t her Match. He could never be. He was an Aberration.

Cassia had secrets of her own but Ky had darker secrets. As the days passed, the two grew closer together. Their relationship started with a spark of curiosity and a zing of attraction that struck them both. I found myself smiling at their sweet but short moments together. I felt their feelings building up, wave after wave and discovery after discovery, until it reached its peak. Matched was the kind of book that gripped my heart and offered me a deliciously sweet romance and the danger factor of being found out added an exciting thrill.

Condie’s writing was the kind that was so beautiful and so engrossing that it was addicting. I found myself reading lines over and over again. The characters were well developed. I felt that they were real persons interacting here in the real world. Although I found the pace a bit slow, I was engaged in the story.

Matched is a bittersweet romance that will leave readers breathless. I highly recommend this to dystopian readers!

Rating:

Review: Airborne by Constance Sharper

2011-11-02T10:40:00.000+08:00

Book Description via Goodreads:

Paperback, 318 pages

March 28, 2011

Avery knew she had a knack for attracting trouble, but even she is shocked when a six-foot-something harpie shows up on her doorstep. Coping with the existence of a mythological race? Okay. Unwittingly finding herself in the middle of a vicious harpie conflict? A little less okay. Having to rely on an arrogant harpie boy who gets under her skin? Now that is something Avery isn't sure she can handle.

Source: Constance Sharper (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

Avery was a girl who knew her mistakes in life. She was realistic, thoughtful and naturally caring. Her meeting with Mason was one of fear, alarm, suspicion and intrigue. Tall, handsome and charming, Mason was very attractive to any human girl. But he didn’t meet Avery to make her fall for him nor to hurt her. He wanted to protect Avery from the danger following her. He tracked her for months to retrieve the necklace of Prince Jericho.

Mason was Avery’s knight in shining armor. Although his heart already belonged to someone else, he made her feel special. He cared for her and protected her for as long as he could. His relationship with her was built on trust and protection. But Mason had his secrets. Could Avery really trust him?

This is the first time that I read a book about harpies. They are such interesting creatures but I rarely read anything about them in modern YA. Sharper’s twist on the original mythology resulted to something that was as beautiful as her novel. The harpies of Airborne were proud of their race and their culture. They had anger-management issues and were vain when it came down to designs and art. Like humans, they fall in love too. The harpie magic that appeared in the novel was also something new to me. I liked how it worked as a part of the harpie world and everyday life.

The Harpie city that Avery stumbled upon after running with Mason was one of wonders. The buildings were the same, with modern architecture and design, minus the stairs. There were humans there too but they served as assistants.

I never imagined that an aerial fight could look as good as the one in Airborne. It had a zing of action and a sprinkle of adrenaline throughout the story. The intertwined lives of the characters in Airborne gave life to its lively drama.

Airborne kicks-off a mesmerizing series filled with tricks, magic, action and betrayal. Meet harpies at their cruelest, meanest and fiercest. This would appeal to fantasy readers and paranormal readers!

Rating:

Review: Destined by Jessie Harrell

2011-10-25T20:28:00.000+08:00

Book Description from the back of the ARC:

ARC, 368 pages

November 17, 2011, Mae Day Publishing

When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear.

As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she’s come to expect out of life: You cannot escape what is destined.

Source: Jessie Harrell (Thank you!!)

My Thoughts:

Eversince Greek mythology retellings started to conquer the YA world, I’ve read many Hades/Persephone retellings. But what I was really waiting for was a Cupid and Psyche retelling that will take me back to Olympian-ruled-Greece. Finally, it has arrived!

Psyche was a princess, the most beautiful girl in Greece and Aphrodite’s daughter after Helen. As the crowds starting rolling in just to see her face, she couldn’t help but shrink back against all the attention. She wanted normalcy – something that was not fated for her. Soon, her parents started calling in suitors for her and her sister, Chara while their bride price was at its peak. Shocked and unprepared, Psyche dreaded every arrival of a suitor at her palace.

Psyche’s life was not coated in sugar. It just had a sweet, sweet icing. But underneath that was a layer of solitude, disconnection and a problematic state. The most beautiful girl in Greece had her problems too and they usually involved angered goddesses, prophecies and curses. I love how Harrell bared Psyche. I saw her imperfection, her vulnerability and her recklessness. But aside from that, she was also beautiful inside and out.

Harrell’s twist on the Cupid and Psyche mythology was perfect for me. The story was retained but the author altered parts of it and gave readers a whole new reason to love this romantic tale. The writing was of the refreshing kind. Harrell had a knack for storytelling. I was enticed, drawn into the story and unwilling to let go of Destined even in the wee hours of the morning.

Eros aka Cupid, was a captivating god. He had the mischief of Puck (The Iron Fey), the charm and good looks of Lend (Paranormalcy) and Sam (The Wolves of Mercy Falls), the devotion of Ash (The Iron Fey) and the passion of Ren (Tiger’s Curse). He was a determined, honest and passionate lover, pursuing and caring for Psyche without using his arrow on her.

I knew how the original story went but I never got bored with Destined. The characters were not simply borrowed. They were clothed with new personalities and they were well-developed. Aside from Psyche and Eros, all of these characters were not present throughout the entire book. But they made an impact nonetheless. Rasmus, the young prince who went to Psyche’s palace to take a bride home, was most interesting. He was the charming-geeky-mysterious-type. Chara, Psyche’s sister was more complex than the others. She loved Psyche as a sister but after Psyche was proclaimed as Aphrodite’s daughter, their relationship went downhill.

Psyche’s needed to pass tests in order to be worthy to talk to Eros again. This was the fun and exciting part. I was cheering Psyche all the while, urging her to make it. Through her ‘journey,’ she met a couple of immortals and encountered a handful of danger, she was unlike the many strong heroines of other novels but she steeled herself and pushed through with her plan.

Told in alternating perspectives of Eros and Psyche, Destined unravels the lives of both lovers. This was the first time that I ever read anything about Eros. It was exciting to find out about his life, his past and his thoughts.

Destined is my favorite Greek/Roman retelling of the year! It’s a journey of love, sacrifices, pain, hope and redemption. Unforgettable, consuming, heartbreakingly and painfully romantic with a sprinkle of cuteness and sweetness here and there, Destined is the perfect read for Greek-myth readers and romance readers.

Rating:

Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

2011-10-20T22:36:00.000+08:00

Book Description via Goodreads:

Paperback,420 pages

September 27, 2011, Little Brown

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Source: Bought

My Thoughts:

Set in romantic and enchanting Prague, the story breathed a life of its own. I was awestruck and mesmerized with its beauty. Taylor introduced a one of a kind heroine and painted a rich history of this world and of Elsewhere. In the middle of it all, was a love story like no other. My words could never, ever capture the beauty of it all.

Karou, the blue-haired heroine of Daughter of Smoke and Bone was truly an admirable character. She was unique, fierce, charming in her own way and strong. She was a true artist, an errand girl, a daughter and a friend. Having been raised in a shop filled with teeth and four Chimaeras – creatures that were part human, part animal of different kinds – she was bound to be different. She led two separate lives: one in the world, in Prague as an art student with the company of her sketchbook and Zuzana and the other, as a daughter and an errand girl for a teeth collector. Karou carried many, many secrets and it affected her relationship with anyone outside her Chimaera family.

Brimstone raised Karou in his shop. He was always working and always sending Karou on errands for him. He collected teeth and in exchange, he gave out wishes. He was a serious and wise figure who had fondness for Karou. He was a mystery.

Akiva was one of the three angels sent to the world to mark the portals that lead to Brimstone’s shop. With his wings of fire, golden eyes and good seraph looks, he was a sight to behold. He was incredibly strong and excessively attractive but he had an abyss-deep pain, sadness and longing that had made his gorgeous golden eyes look dead. He was the embodiment of purpose and vengeance, devoid of any emotion on his face until he met Karou. I found Akiva very interesting, surpassing all the other angel characters I’ve encountered in the past. Girls will be fangirling over this guy.

Akiva’s relationship with Karou was a hesitant but unavoidable one. The pull between them was just too strong for him to fight off. Like two pieces of a whole they had drifted close to each other, almost forgetting that they were supposed to be enemies. The attraction built up until it fizzed and sparked like lightning between them. They had cute, hesitant moments together, as well as awkward and silent ones. I like how it developed through the book. It seemed realistic enough for me.

Caught in the middle of chaos, Karou discovered that the world that Brimstone belonged to was smeared with the pain and blood of war between the Chimaeras and the angels. The world that Taylor created was so vivid, so full of life and death, joy and pain, wonder and magic. I never imagined anything like it. The history that came with the knowledge of this world – Eretz – was colorful, tragic, wondrous and overall, amazing. Taylor’s storytelling was perfect and it gave justice to the story – not rushing it and not slowing it. It had the right pace.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone is my favorite paranormal romance novel of the year. It’s beautifully written and perfectly delivered, with well-developed characters, two vivid worlds, a colorful history and an amazing love story. Hypnotic, breathtaking and absolutely unforgettable, this book will take readers to faraway places and let them experience everything from love to action to tragedy. I highly recommend this to paranormal romance readers! Everyone should read this! I mean it, it’s THAT amazing.

Rating:

Review: Waterfall by Lisa Bergren

2011-10-18T22:28:00.000+08:00

Book Description via Goodreads:

Paperback, 369 pages

February 1, 2011, David C. Cook

Lisa Tawn Bergren's new YA series, River of Time, is romantic, historical fiction in which the plucky heroine doesn't have to fear a vampire's bite but must still fight for her life.

In Waterfall, American teenager Gabi Betarrini accidently finds herself in Fourteenth-Century Italy . . . Knights. Swords. Horses. Armor. And Italian hotties. Most American teens want an Italian vacation, but the Betarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives there with their archaeologist parents. Stuck on yet another hot, dusty dig, they are bored out of their minds... until they place their hands atop handprints in an ancient tomb and find themselves catapulted into the Fourteenth Century and in the middle of a fierce battle between knights bent on killing one another.

Source: Borrowed (Thank you Kai!)

My Thoughts:

Gabi and Lia were spending yet another boring summer with their mom in Tuscany. Their mom was an archaeologist and she was obsessed with anything related to the Etruscans. The beginning of the novel was captivating. The manner in which the author introduced the characters, to me was completely smooth. They were well-developed, with their own little flaws that made them all the more realistic to me. I, myself, am really interested in archaeology (I even took up Archaeology 2 last semester) and the detail that the author paid attention to about the site of the Etruscan tombs, the procedure and the snippets of history embedded in the minds of the sisters rang true.

After finding two handprints in the cave, Gabi and Lia, curious as ever, were sucked into a different time. However, Gabi found herself alone in the 14^th century, in the midst of a real-life battle – swords, blood and all. She was rescued by the knights of Castello Forelli. She pretended that she was from Normandy, lost in Tuscany while searching for her mother and sister. Of course, there was some truth to that. She was lost in time, with her mom back in the present and her sister missing in action. As she pondered about why all this bizarre experience was happening, she had found a second home in Castello Forelli.

Marcello was the tall, dark and handsome knight who rescued Gabi. He captured Gabi’s heart, the same way Gabi captured his. But Marcello was already betrothed to someone else – to a pretty and rich Italian girl with an attitude, Lady Rossi. Gabi outshined her with her modern ways, her free spirit and her untamed nature. The love triangle was classic: boy and girl meets but boy already has someone else, with an amazing twist. Marcello and Gabi’s relationship was against fate or maybe it was exactly what fate wanted. It was somewhat strained but it was also full of sweet moments and fireworks.

Fortino, the heir to the throne of Castello Forelli, was a gaunt and sickly version of Marcello. His days were numbered and he often spent his time alone, until Gabi stumbled into his chamber one day. As a girl from the future, Gabi had a hunch on what could’ve caused Fortino’s being sickly. So she tried to cure him, make his life a little better. Another amazing knight from this novel was Sir Luca. As Marcello’s closest confidant and captain, he was often around Gabi. But it turned out that fate wanted him to lay his eyes on another beautiful woman from the future.

Mesmerizing, romantic and funny, Waterfall is a powerful read. It had everything I wanted: romance, suspense and mystery. It had me hooked by the first page. I highly recommend this to historical readers and romance readers.

Rating:

Review: Half-Blood by Jennifer Armentrout

2011-10-17T21:03:00.000+08:00

Book Description from the ARC:

ARC, 283 pages

October 18, 2011, Spencer Hill Press

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of the two Hematoi – pure-bloods – have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals – well, not so much. Half-Bloods only have two options: become trained sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.

Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially # 1: Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden.

Unfortunately, she’s crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn’t her biggest problem – staying alive long enough to graduate from the Covenant and become a sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon. And being hunted by Aiden.

And that would kind of suck.

Source: Kate from Spencer Hill Press (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

Half-Blood started with action. Alex was fighting daimons. She and her mother had left Covenant three years ago, knowingly left the safety and protection of the island behind.

Pures and Halfs were targets of daimons. They were like vampires but instead of needing blood, they needed aether. Daimons had broken into their house and drained her mother’s aether, her life essence. Alex fled after seeing her mom’s drained body. Now, Alex was left alone to defend herself.

She returned to Covenant after being saved by Sentinels from daimons. She hadn’t been in there for three years. She was left behind in the training classes. But with Aiden as her trainer, she was relieved and excited. Pures and halfs were not supposed to have any kind of romantic relationship but that doesn’t mean that she couldn’t crush on Aiden. He was adorable, thoughtful and kind. He wasn’t like the other pures who were always looking down on half-bloods. He treated her as his equal and Alex was grateful for that. As the trainings went on, Alex found herself getting to know Aiden and vice versa. Their trainee-trainer relationship had an underlying current of attraction and risk.

Life at the covenant was made up of four elements: parties, gossip, hooking up and training. It really reminded me of Vampire Academy. Only in Half-Blood, the students were tamer. In terms of training, everyone was being schooled on how to defend themselves and kill daimons as Sentinels. For half-bloods, it was the highest possible rank. But there was always a chance that when break the rules, they could end in servitude, with their free will taken away.

Lucian, Alex’s stepfather, was now a Minister. He was strangely concerned and sweet to her now that she’s come back. But that never happened in the past – he always regarded her with disdain. But that’s not the only thing that she’s thinking about. Grandma Piperi, the oracle, had rattled off half-crazy stuff about her future and her life. The Apollyon, Seth, was with Lucian. And he always seemed to be trailing after her, popping up where she was. Seth had good humour, laced with a little bit of sarcasm and he exuded confidence with his powers. His conversations with Alex were fun to read. I would love to know more about his character in the sequel.

With her mother’s death, Alex was fueled to become a Sentinel more than ever. She was eager to learn. Although she was stubborn and sometimes recklessly brave, she never let those get in the way of moving on with her training. But with fate and the council, things were not always what they seemed. Could Alex deal with more life-changing surprises?

Half-Blood had romance that can turn girls to jelly, action, and enough twists and turns to shock readers. Aiden and Alex are such endearing characters. Seth added kickassness, spice and humour to the story. I recommend this to paranormal readers and greek-mythology fanatics. Readers of the Vampire Academy might like this.

Rating:

In My Mailbox (2) - I'm Back!

2011-10-15T19:53:00.001+08:00

Hi everyone! After eons, I’m finally posting my IMM. I’ve been half-MIA for weeks now. The books have been piling up – good thing the sembreak started, so I can do something about that massive pile.

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren. It aims to encourage blogger interaction and to explore the newly acquired books of several bloggers.

I’ll start with the ones I bought because this is the first time that I spent my money on books. My money and not my mom’s or my dad’s. After 19 years of existence, I finally have a work!

Anyhoo – these are what I bought (sorry for the crappy pictures – I don’t have steady hands):

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor – Just started this. Amazing. Prague? Karou? Wow.

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake (loved it! Reviewed here.)

Matched by Ally Condie – I know everyone on the planet have read Matched aside from me. Now, I’m going to catch up in time for Crossed’s release.

Fateful by Claudia Gray – I love Claudia Gray! Looking forward to starting this one.

Borrowed from Kai of Amaterasu Reads!

Cryer’s Cross by Lisa Mcmann

Waterfall by Lisa Bergren (finished – it’s amazing)

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren

Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson

For Review:

Half-Blood by Jennifer Armentrout (ARC)

Far From the War by Jeffrey David Payne

The Chair by James L. Rubart (ARC) - this one is adult but it sounds interesting

Hades by Alexandra Adornetto (ARC)

Dark of the Moon by Tracy Barrett (ARC) – surprised with this one! I never thought they’d send me a copy!

Dragonwood by Janet Lee Carey (signed ARC) – read the first few pages. It’s good!

I’m not Her by Janet Gurtler

If I Tell by Janet Gurtler

Destined by Jessie Harrell (signed ARC) – eeep! Cupid and Psyche retelling!

From and For Pinoy Book Tours:

The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton – one signed for me and one signed for a blog tour!

The Juliet Spell by Douglas Rees (for Pinoy Book Tours) – Charming. Reviewed here.

The Carrier of the Mark (for Pinoy Book Tours) – Loved it! Reviewed here.

Gifted:

Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold – excited for this! I will read its Spanish version – Desde mi Cielo – soon!

Swag:

Lots of The Faerie Ring bookmarks, which will be shared with bloggers participating in The Faerie Ring blog tour. Lots of swag from Spencer Hill Press too! Signed Bloodspell, signed XVI and signed Destined bookmarks – love them.

A big thanks to:

Kai from Amaterasu Reads, Kate from Spencer Hill, Jeffrey, Kiki, Marissa, Ksenia from Feiwel and Friends, Pinoy Book Tours, Jennifer from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Janet, Sourcebooks Fire, Berns and Jessie!

That’s all for IMM this week. What did you get? Please leave your links and I’ll visit later!

Review: Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

2011-10-15T02:49:00.000+08:00

Book Description via Goodreads:

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.

Source: Bought

My Thoughts:

Months ago, when I first watched the trailer of Anna Dressed in Blood, before the cover was released, I knew I was going to love it. And I wasn’t disappointed, Kendare Blake delivered well.

Cas was a ghost hunter just like his father. His job, his interest and his life revolved around the dead. He was not exactly antisocial but he didn’t get too close with people because he didn’t want himself to miss them and vice versa. He was the kind of guy who moved around a lot with his mother, depending on where his next ‘ghost’ lived. He was focused on his job – sending violent ghosts to wherever they should be – and intent on becoming strong and skilled enough to avenge the brutal death of his father.

Anna Korlov was his next ghost. She’s a strong, violent and terrible ghost – having killed so many people in the past 50 years. Everyone who stepped into her house was killed. Everyone aside from Cas. He never expected that the strongest and most frightening ghost he would encounter would spare him. He came to Thunder Bay to kill her but there was something about Anna that was different. She knew that she was dead. She was aware of what she was doing and this made her more human than the shuffling wraiths Cas has encountered in the past. But all that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t do what he came to do.

Thomas Sabin, the odd geeky witchy kid, was eager to be in the game. At first Cas never even considered including him, preferring to work alone. But after a couple of deaths, police interrogations and sleepless nights later, Cas’ circle of friends started to grow. Carmel, the Queen Bee of his high school, wanted truth and justice. She was pretty, determined and curious. Together, Cas, Thomas and Carmel started to investigate about Anna’s death, why she was strong and what could have possibly bound her to her house.

Cas and Anna started out as unlikely friends. Cas couldn’t get her out of his mind. He always found himself on her driveway staring up at her, talking to her and trying to find out more about her past. It was personal and not personal at the same time. Cas wanted to know Anna just for the sake of knowing how she ended up the way she was but on the other hand, he also needed to know about her death so he could get her out of the living world. He knew that she was not safe, violent and 100% deadly. Love, dilemma and impossibility charged the story.

Anna Dressed in Blood is highly entertaining, addictive, kickass and romantic. With a distinct, humorous voice, unpredictable ghosts, a handful of witches and dark secrets, Anna Dressed in Blood is a dark paranormal romance that will leave readers craving for more. I highly recommend this to paranormal romance readers!

Rating:

Girl of Nightmares Cover = Swoon worthy

2011-10-14T15:54:00.000+08:00

Hello, my lovelies!

I know I’ve been a bad, bad blogger. I went MIA! *sighs* But school is over now. It’s sembreak for me! I’ll try to be around more often. In fact, I have 3 reviews ready to post. One of which is Anna Dressed in Blood. Before I rave about it – my favorite ghost story of the year – I’ll show you this gem:

It’s the cover of the sequel! Girl of Nightmares! I’m mesmerized by the cover – not so haunting anymore, but it has an edge of honesty, suffering and pain to it. A crimson longing of some kind. It makes me WANT it now. Now that I’ve just finished Anna Dressed in Blood. Kendare Blake is a-ma-zing, you have to pick her novel up. You won’t regret it. ;)