kiwigirl reads. . . .

Dead Things by Stephen Blackmore (Eric Carter Book #1) - REVIEW

noreply@blogger.com (kiwigirl) — Sun, 24 May 2026 13:47:14 +0000

Synopsis:

Necromancer Eric Carter returns home to Los Angeles looking for answers following the brutal murder of his sister. He figures it’s the least he can do after abandoning her fifteen years earlier. After reconnecting with old acquaintances and crossing paths with powerful gangsters — both alive and dead — he soon realizes his return was never mere chance.

Review:

Published in 2013, this was a more recent read for me, and I was pleasantly surprised. It’s one of the better urban fantasy books I’ve read in a while. I’m also a sucker for a Chris McGrath cover, so that definitely didn’t hurt either. There are about nine books in the series so far so it is nice to know there are quite a few to get onto in the future.

Dead Things is a dark, gritty noir-style urban fantasy packed with intriguing magic and necromancy. There is plenty of violence and action, and just the right amount of grim humour and sarcasm. It has a very fast-moving feel to the story that kept me engaged throughout, I’ll definitely be checking out the rest of the series at some stage.

The story is written in first person and it is tight and fast-paced. There is not really much in the way of subplot which in this case and that actually worked well, it made for a more streamlined and focused narrative. It still has a few of those typical “first book in a series” issues, but overall I was interested and engaged right to the very end.

I enjoyed the magic system, world-building, and especially the different types of ghosts featured in the story. I also liked the investigative aspect of the MC’s necromancy — the way he communicates with the dead and gathers information using his abilities added to that supernatural detective vibe which is sometimes hard to find in a lot of urban fantasy these days.

Eric Carter himself is the quintessential urban fantasy protagonist: a reluctant good guy wrapped in the shell of a cynical badass. I did end up liking him a bit more than I expected compared to other similar UF main characters. He’s angry, flawed, and a bit of an arsehole, but I appreciated that he didn’t spend the entire book whining about his problems like so many protagonists in the genre are apt to do. However, it did sometimes feel like he really only stumbled into success, and he does get beaten up, knocked unconscious, or tasered every few pages — but he always manages to rally.

The final big showdown was good, although the conclusion wrapped up quicker than I expected. Still, the author does a solid job wrapping up the main storyline while leaving enough threads open to set up future instalments.

Overall, this is a fast and furious, action filled urban fantasy mystery full of dark magic, necromancy, and violence. If you can’t handle a bit of gore, this might not be the book for you, as there are definitely some scenes that may not appeal to everyone. However, if you enjoy gritty noir UF with morally grey characters and plenty of supernatural action, this one isworth checking out.

PBS The Great American Read

noreply@blogger.com (kiwigirl) — Sun, 22 Apr 2018 16:40:00 +0000

The Great American Read from PBS is an eight part series exploring the power of reading. 100 books were chosen as the top 100 most-loved novels in America. PBS conducted a survey asking Americans to name their favorite fiction novel and around 7,200 people participated.

You can find out more about the series, books and how they were chosen on the official website.

Here is a list of the 100 books chosen:

1984 - George Orwell
A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving
A Separate Peace - John Knowles
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Betty Smith
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Mark Twain
The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
Alex Cross Mysteries (Series) - James Patterson
Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
Americanah - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
And Then There Were None - Agatha Chistie
Anne of Green Gables - Lucy Maud Montgomery
Another Country - James Baldwin
Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand
Beloved - Toni Morrison
Bless Me, Ultima - Ruldolfo Anaya
The Book Thief - Markus Zusak
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Diaz
The Call of the Wild - Jack London
Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
Charlotte's Web - E.B. White
The Chronicles of Narnia (Series) - C.S. Lewis
The Clan of the Cave Bear - Jean M. Auel
The Coldest Winter Ever - Sister Souljah
The Color Purple - Alice Walker
The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - Mark Haddon
The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
Don Quixote - Miguel de Cervantes
Doña Barbara - Romulo Gallegos
Dune - Frank Herbert
Fifty Shades of Grey (Series) - E.L. James
Flowers in the Attic - V.C. Andrews
Foundation (Series) - Isaac Asimov
Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
Game of Thrones (Series) - George R.R. Martin
Ghost - Jason Reynolds
Gilead - Marilynne Robinson
The Giver - Lois Lowry
The Godfather - Mario Puzo
Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn
Gone with the Wind - Margaret Mitchell
The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
Gulliver's Travels - Jonathan Swift
The Handmaids Tale - Margaret Atwood
Harry Potter (Series) - J.K. Rowling
Hatchet (Series) - Gary Paulsen
Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
The Help - Kathryn Stockett
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
The Hunt for Red October - Tom Clancy
The Intuitionist - Colson Whitehead
Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison
Jane Eyre - Charlotte Brontë
The Joy Luck Club - Amy Tam
Jurassic Park - Michael Crichton
Left Behind (Series) - Tim LaHaye/Jerry B. Jenkins
The Little Prince - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Little Women - Louisa May Alcott
Lonesome Dove - Larry McMurtry
Looking for Alaska - John Green
The Lord of the Rings (Series) - J.R.R. Tolkien
The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
The Martian - Andy Weir
Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
Mind Invaders - Dave Hunt
Moby Dick - Herman Melville
The Notebook - Nicholas Sparks
One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Outlander (Series) - Diana Gabaldon
The Outsiders - S.E. Hinton
The Picture of Dorian Grey - Oscar Wilde
The Pilgrim's Progress - John Bunyan
The Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett
Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austin
Ready Player One - Ernest Cline
Rebecca - Daphne du Maurier
The Shack - William P. Young
Siddhartha - Hermann Hesse
The Sirens of Titan - Kurt Vonnegut
The Stand - Stephen King
The Sun Also Rises - Ernest Hemingway
Swan Song - Robert R. McCammon
Tales of the City (Series) - Armistead Maupin
Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston
Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe
This Present Darkness - Frank E. Peretti
To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
The Twilight Saga (Series) - Stephenie Myer
War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
The Watchers - Dean Koontz
The Wheel of Time (Series) - Robert Jordan
Where the Red Fern Grows - Wilson Rawls
White Teeth - Zadie Smith
Wuthering Heights - Emily Brontë

Girls Guide to Witchcraft by Mindy Klasky (Review by Kiwigirlreads)

noreply@blogger.com (kiwigirl) — Sat, 06 May 2017 12:00:00 +0000

Premise:

Good girl librarian, Jane Madison, has a few problems - she has been passed over for a raise she deserved and is generally unlucky in love. That is until she finds a hidden room filled with ancient spell books. Soon she's got a feline familiar and is irresistible to men. On the other hand she is also under investigation for misuse of magic.

But Jane's having too much fun to stop. After all, no one ever said being a witch was easy…

Review (Cross-posted on Goodreads)

I got this free from the Book View Cafe Instafreebie Giveaway. They have a few books that are being offered for free by the authors and I went there to get a specific book and then this one caught my eye.

I thought it sounded interesting, I like my noir Urban Fantasy but I also like a little happy fluff sometimes too. I started reading it as soon as I downloaded it and was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed it and it's one of the few free books that I can say that about. It was well written, engaging and the plot, although low key, was compelling enough for me to want to see where it went.

The MC could be annoying at times, a little on the shallow side and sometimes I did not get her reactions, she seemed to freak out more that she splashed soup on herself than when she found a strange guy in her basement. There were also situations which were a little drawn out for my tastes like the whole making dinner and her deciding what food to order but it fit with the overall aesthetic of the book. I thought it may have been better if the characters had interests other than finding a boyfriend, there is a lot of focus on that, and while I expect it I just think that it could have been nice to see more about what made them tick individually. There are other books in the series so I will have to read them to see if there is more development in the later books.

The story is fun and light-hearted; it's not one that is driven by action with the heroine furiously running from disaster to melee and back again. There were no major bad guys or apocalyptic plan that only she could figure out and diffuse. I actually found this book a refreshing change of pace and I was not disappointed at all. It was a nice light and fluffy weekend read and if I wanted to read an action packed story then there are many of those sort to choose from. This was more of a quite tale about an awkward girl who discovers something magical about herself and learns to be more confident in her own skin.

I give this four stars because I think it was solid writing, a good story and something a bit different. I will certainly be looking to buy the next ones in the series and although this one was free I will not mind paying for the next ones. I look forward to hearing more about how Jane explores her magic, Neko's adventures in the modern world and finding out if Melissa ever has a good first date.

Northern Lights Re-release - Chaz Brenchley

noreply@blogger.com (kiwigirl) — Wed, 13 Jul 2016 15:40:00 +0000

Good news from one of my favorite authors recently. Chaz Brenchley has re-released his Northern Lights duology on Amazon. It's hard to believe but the first one - Dead of Light is 21 years old and the follow up Light Errant is 19 years old. They have snazzy new covers and all. Below is his post from Facebook which I have shared here. You can follow the link to the original. I reviewed Dead of Light a while back on this blog so you can also check that out here.

Chaz Brenchley via Facebook:

People, you won't believe this, but it's been twenty-one years since the first publication of DEAD OF LIGHT. (My baby's old enough to drink legally in America! Snf!)
In due celebration of which, we have published new anniversary editions of both DEAD OF LIGHT and his nineteen-year-old baby brother LIGHT ERRANT, both with lovely new covers by Layla Lawlor.

At the moment these are technically Amazon-only, because reasons. However, I do have epub and pdf editions available also, directly from me; just drop $2.99 into my PayPal account (chaz at chazbrenchley dot co dot uk), and say which you want.

And in more of the same news, because these are such thoroughly new editions, they've been scrubbed clean of all previous reviews. As we all know, reviews really really help to sell books, or at least to bring them to other readers' attention. They don't have to be long, they don't even have to be positive; Amazon's algorithm only looks at the number of reviews, not the content. If you felt like obliging, at either or both of the links above, that would be incredibly welcome.

Also of course if you could share this announcement far and wide, because word of mouse, hullo. Thank you!

Cover Reveal: Iron by Robin L. Cole

noreply@blogger.com (kiwigirl) — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 17:08:00 +0000

Not every fairy-tale needs a Prince Charming.

When a troll no one else can see attacks her outside the bar on her 30th birthday, Caitlin Moore thinks someone spiked her drink. It isn’t until a team of faeries rescues her and reveals that she has a special Gift that she realizes it’s something worse: she’s just become the star of her own twisted fairy-tale.

Her newly awakened Gift of the Warding makes her immune to fae magic, something unheard of in a human. Her rescuers are exiled enemies of the High King who has allowed bestial creatures like the troll to cross the boundary that separates their worlds. They promise to right the King’s wrongs, but first they need her Gift to find the key to breaking their banishment.

Unable to a turn blind eye to the danger she now sees in every shadow, Caitlin dives headfirst into their world of crazy. In return for her help they teach her to fight back against the nasties, but she isn’t prepared for the thrill she feels on the hunt. As the normal life she once knew slips further and further away, she wonders if protecting humanity from the monsters is worth the stain killing leaves on her soul.

Release Date: Mid-September 2015

One of my blogger friends is publishing her debut novel this year. This is the cover reveal for Robin L. Cole's urban fantasy debut, Iron - The Warding. I really wanted to share this with everyone here, I know I don't post a lot anymore but this cover was well worth it. I love me some good cover art, I am the first person to judge a book by its cover. And judging by this one it looks like it will be something to look forward to. I will update this when she has more information out.

In the meantime if you want to know more - the cover was designed by Fiona Jayde and you can find out more about the book and Robin over at her blog - Robin L. Cole.

The Mortal Instruments TV Series - Shadowhunters

noreply@blogger.com (kiwigirl) — Sun, 10 May 2015 10:10:00 +0000

For those of you who don't live on the internet or twitter like I do you may not have heard - they are making 'The Mortal Instruments' book series by Cassandra Clare into a TV series called 'Shadowhunters.

Wait! Wasn't that a movie? I hear you say. Yes they made it into a movie staring Lily Collins and Jamie Campbell Bower but if you actually went and saw it you will know the problem. It was just not good. They certainly tried but so much was left out and a lot was not explained or explained too much. I was left very disappointed.

Because it did not do very well, plans for the follow up movie have been pushed back and it looks like it will never happen now. Can't say I'm that worried about the decision. What they have done is decided to start again from scratch on TV. The show is from ABC Family and they are casting at the moment. Most of the leads have been announced - here is the link to the Facebook page if you are interested - https://www.facebook.com/ShadowhuntersSeries

The books are not all time favorites of mine or anything but I did enjoy the world that Cassandra Clare created and I think it will translate well for TV. They will have so much more room to flesh out the world and the characters - if it goes the way of The Vampire Dairies and Teen Wolf then I will be happy. They are both well scripted and compelling shows.

Oh and at least they have started things off right by casting a redhead girl for the lead. That annoyed me about the movie. It's one little thing but how hard it it to find a redhead or dye her hair, I know Lily Collins made her hair auburn and in America they call that red but it just looks dark brown. Katherine McNamara has been cast as Clary and her natural color is a pretty ginger red which is much more fitting for the character.

They also have apparently aged up the characters for the TV series, but to be honest if you read the books, it never seemed like they were 16 or 17. They didn't go to school and most of the time there is not much of a parental presence. They go to a night club in the first chapter and the shadow hunter kids are out chasing and killing demons so it's not really a high school type story.

I look forward to checking it out when it eventually airs. How about you? Will you watch it?

Goodreads - 2014 Reading Challenge (The result and on to 2015)

noreply@blogger.com (kiwigirl) — Wed, 07 Jan 2015 15:37:00 +0000

Good News! This year I did it, I reached my goal of 50 books for the Goodreads Challenge! I actually went over it by one, so even better.

You might remember in 2013 I was a bit disappointed because I only managed to get to 45. I was so close.

I definitely think I've made a good effort in the past year, I also re-read a few old books and tried some short stories, these ones I didn't count in my overall numbers so I know I read even more than what I set out to do.

I have set my 2015 goal to 50 again. I only just reached it so I don't want to push it too much and not be able to achieve the goal. I think 50 is a good number to ensure that I don't get too far off track and just spend all my time watching TV.

My friend sent me this list from the website 9gag.com. I think it sounds like fun so I might try and fit my books into this also. I have put a copy of the list from the website below in case you are interested. The link to the article is here.

ARC Win - Endsinger by Jay Kristoff

noreply@blogger.com (kiwigirl) — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 13:40:00 +0000

I have been meaning to put this post up for a bit but am as usual behind. I was very lucky to win a signed Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of the last Lotus War book - Engsinger by Jay Kristoff. It's my first ARC - exciting.

I have not actually had a chance to read it yet. I haven't read the second one in the trilogy so need to get that finished first. I am planning to do a review on the first one Stormdancer in the near future.

Endsinger is out now so if you are looking for something a bit different then check it out, the series is kind of steampunk/fantasy set in feudal Japan.

I would also recommend you check out Jay Kristoff's blog, he is an Australian author and a funny guy. The blog site is http://misterkristoff.wordpress.com/. This is where I won the ARC from, it was a worldwide competition which was great for me as I live in an obscure part of the world.

Also came with a nifty bookmark

It's that time again . . . Nanowrimo 2014

noreply@blogger.com (kiwigirl) — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 16:59:00 +0000

It's officially November which means it is the first day of National Novel Writing Month (Well it is here in South Korea, you might have to wait a few hours if you live on the other side of the world).

I have written about this for the past two years. It's a time for you to challenge yourself to write that novel that you have been thinking about forever. All over the world people are committing themselves to the challenge of writing 50,000 words.

There are huge online communities in different areas that are set up to make the solitary life of writing a bit more social. They have write-ins at local cafes, word games both online and in meetup groups and many other activities aimed at socializing but also getting your word count up.

If you have never heard of it before I would suggest you check out their website. It has all the information you need. You can find out if there is a writers group near you (there probably is) and get started.

If you have already signed up then I wish you the best of luck. I am doing Nanowrimo for the third time but last year I did not try very hard. I have not completed the goal yet of 50,000 words so maybe this will be my year.

“Image courtesy of National Novel Writing Month.”

Morganville: The Series (Coming Soon on October 27th)

noreply@blogger.com (kiwigirl) — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 17:39:00 +0000

I wanted to share the new trailer for the Morganville Web Series that will be coming out soon. I just watched it and it looks really good. Very true to the books. I think that by going the Kickstarter and webseries route, Rachel Caine, the author was able to keep more of a hand in what was happening. Usually when these books get sold to movie producers they change things and very often screw up the casting just to get someone who has a name that will sell.

I really enjoy Rachel Caine's Morganville Vampire series of books. I think it was a great fresh idea with good characters and plot lines. I have not finished the series yet but will do in the future. In the meantime I will be checking out the series as soon as it becomes available.

You can also go to the website http://www.morganvilletheseries.com/ to find out more about the series.

A while ago I reviewed the first book in the series, you can check it out here.

2014 August Update

noreply@blogger.com (kiwigirl) — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 18:37:00 +0000

Just thought I would write a quick update, I have not been writing much here lately but that is nothing new. You will see however that I have been better in my reading this year so far, I am 31 books in to my Goodreads Reading Challenge of 50 books. I think this year I will be able to complete it. I am trying to make sure I put some time aside each week to do a bit of reading.

I also recently took a course on Creative Writing though the Gotham Writers website, they have courses in New York but they also offer an extensive online catalog. I did the introductory course Creative Writing 101 which is just a six week course, very low pressure and basic for beginners or people just getting back into writing. I really enjoyed it, I was not really sure where to start or what to do so this was the perfect introduction for me. There was good information about lots of different writing styles and key ideas, there were weekly assignments but they were very small and I found them interesting and not very time consuming, the instructor was very encouraging. The courses are a bit expensive but if you are looking at writing courses I would certainly recommend them.

Goodreads - 2013 Reading Challenge (The result and on to 2014)

noreply@blogger.com (kiwigirl) — Wed, 08 Jan 2014 11:31:00 +0000

Well, I am disappointed to report that I did not quite reach my goal for 2013. And while I am sad about this as I was really close to getting to 50 books, I am still pretty happy to get what I did done.

My final count for the year was 45 books.

Considering that most of these were read in November and December I think I did OK. I was really pushing it at the end, the last book I read on the 31st and I read it in one day because at that stage I knew I was not going to make it to 50 books so I at least wanted to make 45.

So I have made the same challenge for this year. I am sticking to 50 books again, I think that a good number and I am starting earlier. I think I started in March last year so this gives me more time to get orgainsed and hopefully get a jump on things. I do have two books I have not finished from last year that I need to finish quickly as they do not count towards my 2014 goal.

Goodreads - 2013 Reading Challenge (November Update)

noreply@blogger.com (kiwigirl) — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 19:40:00 +0000

This year I started off the year knowing that I was not going to be very good at keeping up with my blogging, it's really hard to keep the momentum running from the initial start up of the blog when it's all new and exciting. That being said I knew I wanted to keep it going and I hope that I can continue to blog about the books that I love when inspiration and time permits.

Knowing how bad I had been at the reading challenges last year I decided to only do one this year and that one was just the Goodreads Reading Challenge where you set yourself a goal. I even made it a much more realistic goal than the 100 of 2012 which of course I did not even get anywhere near. I settled on 50, thinking that would be an easily achievable number, when I think about how many books I used to read in a year this is laughable but with the invention of TV on the internet I have to say my dedication to books is not what it used to be.

At the start of this month I was startled to realize that it was November, almost December and the end of the year - where has the time gone. It really crept up on me and recently when looking at my blog I also realized that I had only read about 12 books towards my goal of 50 - I was severely behind. I knew that I could give up easily but I also knew that 50 books is a small number and there is no reason I should not have read that in the year so I knew what I had to do - I was going to buckle down and get it done. I had a lot of books I had started and not finished and also many that I had on my nightstand just waiting to be read, so I got through most of those and then tackled some of the ones I've had on my e-reader for a while. So far I am pleased to report I am up to 28 books towards my goal and it's not even the end of November yet. It just goes to show what I can do when I set my mind to it.

So lets all cross our fingers that on this I keep up my momentum and get one goal finished for this year. Once I'm finished I might even do some book reviews on a few of the ones I have really enjoyed but lets not get too far ahead of ourselves :)

NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month

noreply@blogger.com (kiwigirl) — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 14:33:00 +0000

Well it's November again and as such time for NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month. This is the time when people all over the world challenge themselves to write 50,000 words.

If you are interested in finding out more you can visit the website at www.nanowrimo.org. Best of luck to those involved for 2013 and if you did not get a chance to do it this year why not start thinking about it for next year.

Congratulations Eleanor Catton - Winner of the Man Booker Prize 2013

noreply@blogger.com (kiwigirl) — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 17:54:00 +0000

Kiwi Eleanor Catton won the Man Booker Prize for 2013 becoming the youngest author to win, she is 28 years old. Her novel The Luminaries is also the longest book to win the award. This is a great honor for any author and it's awesome to see a fellow New Zealander doing well in the world.

'The Luminaries' is a mystery set in the West Coast of New Zealand during the Gold Rush of the 19th Century.

Follow this link for a full article about the win and to watch Eleanor Catton's acceptance speech on Stuff.co.nz.

For another good article about the Man Booker Prize, the other nominees and a more in depth description of 'The Luminaries', The Telegraph has a good article here.

Books into Movies - Coming Soon 2013/2014

noreply@blogger.com (kiwigirl) — Sat, 24 Aug 2013 17:27:00 +0000

There are a few movies coming up that are based on supernatural/fantasy/science fiction books that I wanted to mention. Books from these genres especially the YA ones are now regularly becoming fodder for the Hollywood engine as more and more of them either make it to the big screen or to TV (I guess we can thank Twilight for that - if for nothing else). I generally prefer the TV series because they are longer so get to tell the story in more depth but I also think that movies often stick more to the plot of the book than TV does. This is probably for the exact same reason why I like TV more, it's length - when you have to fill so much more time you often have to add filler characters and story lines in order to keep it interesting and not overwork your main actors too much.

I really like seeing books that I have read come to life, I do prefer it with ones that are a bit older and have had time to reach a good audience I don't really see the point of releasing a book and then less than a year later the movie (except for marketing purposes to capitalize on the hype and all that). I like The Vampire Dairies because I remember it fondly from my childhood, I read and loved the original books as a teenager. After initially been not to keen on Elena being a brunette when she is blond in the book, and often described as an 'ice princess' to boot, I'm fine with the interpretation now and I like the addition of Jeremy which is a character not in the books - in the books she has a very young sister. The same goes with True Blood, after the initial pilot being really spot on and getting kudos for that - they did veer off into their own story lines making minor characters into major ones and keeping some around that died in the books - but it works and it is its own thing now. I had read the first four or so Sookie Stackhouse books that True Blood is based on quite a while before the show aired. I was initially put off by them because the covers were cartoons so it did take me a while to pick one up. I felt they were OK (a bit of fluff and fun), I was not that impressed with them so I think in the long run I have liked the TV series better. I guess in all cases there are things that you like about each of the mediums and things that you don't like.

These are some of the ones that I have noticed are coming out in 2013 and 2014 that I have read the books for so I am interested to see what the movies are like:

You can check them out on Internet Movie Database (IMDB) and Amazon:

Ender's Game - Book by Orson Scott Card
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones - Book by Cassandra Clare
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters - Book by Rick Riordan
Vampire Academy: Blood Sisters - Book by Richelle Mead

August Want to Read - Omens by Kelley Armstrong

noreply@blogger.com (kiwigirl) — Mon, 12 Aug 2013 14:23:00 +0000

Omens: A Cainsville Novel
By Kelley Armstrong

Release Date: August 20, 2013

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Twenty-four-year-old Olivia Taylor Jones has the perfect life. The only daughter of a wealthy, prominent Chicago family, she has an Ivy League education, pursues volunteerism and philanthropy, and is engaged to a handsome young tech firm CEO with political ambitions.

But Olivia’s world is shattered when she learns that she’s adopted. Her real parents? Todd and Pamela Larsen, notorious serial killers serving a life sentence. When the news brings a maelstrom of unwanted publicity to her adopted family and fiancé, Olivia decides to find out the truth about the Larsens.

Olivia ends up in the small town of Cainsville, Illinois, an old and cloistered community that takes a particular interest in both Olivia and her efforts to uncover her birth parents’ past.

Aided by her mother’s former lawyer, Gabriel Walsh, Olivia focuses on the Larsens’ last crime, the one her birth mother swears will prove their innocence. But as she and Gabriel start investigating the case, Olivia finds herself drawing on abilities that have remained hidden since her childhood, gifts that make her both a valuable addition to Cainsville and deeply vulnerable to unknown enemies. Because there are darker secrets behind her new home and powers lurking in the shadows that have their own plans for her.

From Kiwigirl:

I really like Kelley Armstrong's writing, I have enjoyed most of the 'Women of the Otherworld' series. I did not like the young adult ones as much, nor the Nadia Stafford ones. I thought that this new one sounded like an interesting idea and I'm definitely ready to give it a go based on my enjoyment of the majority of her books. I also recently heard that they are making a TV series based on the Women of the Otherword series which I am looking forward to. I saw a picture of the actress they cast for Elena and was a bit disappointed, she looked very small and I always pictured her as a physically strong woman. I guess we will have to see how it turns out.

July Want to Read - Fin and Lady by Cathleen Schine

noreply@blogger.com (kiwigirl) — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 13:48:00 +0000

Fin & Lady: A Novel

By Cathleen Schine

Release Date: July 9, 2013

Synopsis from The Book Depository:

From the author of "The Three Weissmanns of Westport," a wise, clever story of New York in the '60s It's 1964. Eleven-year-old Fin and his glamorous, worldly, older half sister, Lady, have just been orphaned, and Lady, whom Fin hasn't seen in six years, is now his legal guardian and his only hope. That means Fin is uprooted from a small dairy farm in rural Connecticut to Greenwich Village, smack in the middle of the swinging '60s. He soon learns that Lady--giddy, careless, urgent, and obsessed with being free--is as much his responsibility as he is hers. So begins "Fin & Lady," the lively, spirited new novel by Cathleen Schine, the author of the bestselling "The Three Weissmanns of Westport." Fin and Lady lead their lives against the background of the '60s, the civil rights movement, and the Vietnam War--Lady pursued by ardent, dogged suitors, Fin determined to protect his impulsive sister from them and from herself. From a writer "The New York Times" has praised as "sparkling, crisp, clever, deft, hilarious, and deeply affecting," "Fin & Lady" is a comic, romantic love story: the story of a brother and sister who must form their own unconventional family in increasingly unconventional times.

From Kiwigirl:

Not my usual fare but I came across this when looking for some books on The Book Depository website - it was on the New and Popular list that comes up before you get to what you are actually looking for. Turns out that kind of advertisement works. I liked the cover so I had a look at what it was about and I think it could be one that I will enjoy, worth a chance anyway. I like to read a range of different books even though the bulk of my interests lie in the Sci-Fi and Fantasy realm. I've added it to my 'To Read' list on 'Goodreads' for now.

June Want to Read - The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

noreply@blogger.com (kiwigirl) — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 15:44:00 +0000

The Ocean at the End of the Lane: A Novel
Neil Gaiman

Release Date: June 18, 2013

Synopsis from Goodreads:

THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE is a fable that reshapes modern fantasy: moving, terrifying and elegiac - as pure as a dream, as delicate as a butterfly's wing, as dangerous as a knife in the dark, from storytelling genius Neil Gaiman.

It began for our narrator forty years ago when the family lodger stole their car and committed suicide in it, stirring up ancient powers best left undisturbed. Dark creatures from beyond the world are on the loose, and it will take everything our narrator has just to stay alive: there is primal horror here, and menace unleashed - within his family and from the forces that have gathered to destroy it.

His only defense is three women, on a farm at the end of the lane. The youngest of them claims that her duckpond is an ocean. The oldest can remember the Big Bang.

From kiwigirl:

I love what I have read of Neil Gaiman so far, such a wonderful story teller and I can't say that I have read any of his books and not thought it was amazing. I am sure his next book will be no exception especially if the online reviews posted so far are anything to go by. I am definitely looking forward to getting a copy of this book some time in the not too distant future.

The Willows by Krystal George (Review by kiwigirlreads)

noreply@blogger.com (kiwigirl) — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 14:20:00 +0000

The Willows Plot Overview:

Evelyn Magwire used to have it all, a happy family, great friends and a loving boyfriend. After her parents are killed in an accident things just keep getting worse and worse for Evelyn. Her grief isolates her from her friends and remaining family and it’s not until another tragedy strikes that she is forced to pull herself together.

When one of her brothers goes missing in mysterious circumstances Evie finds that she is the only one who believes he is still out there and wants to track down the truth. Her enquiry leads her to The Willows – what was her brother doing out there, could he really be a killer, and what dark secrets are hiding in the chilled and deserted woods?

Evie finds herself pulled deeper and deeper into a new world of darkness where it’s hard to tell who is friend and who is foe. In the end Evie must make a choice – will she give in to temptation and even if she can resist, will she ever be the same again?

What I thought:

I was provided an ebook copy of ‘The Willows’ by the author for reviewing purposes. I really like the cover of this book, it's one that I would certainly pick up in a book store if I came across it.

First off I’d like to point out here that my rating system veers towards the harsh, even for books that I absolutely loved, so while I have rated this a bit lower it does not mean that it is not a good book. My review will attempt to explain what I did and did not like and you can judge for yourself. If it sounds like something that you might like then I would certainly recommend you giving it a try.

The Willows is one of those books that had a lot of potential and although it was good you can see how it could have been so much better. It was pretty short at 140 pages and it really could have done with some extra fleshing out of characters, motives and background. It is a paranormal young adult tale which also has a good mystery to it. I think that it will appeal to younger aged teenagers more than adults due to the plot construction being a bit flimsy.

I thought that the story started off slow, I found it a hard to get into as it went about the build up and background information. However once the action starts and the mystery begins to unfold it does get better, it quickly picks up and moves swiftly towards the conclusion. I did think that overall it was a good story with some interesting ideas and I enjoyed reading it.

The characters were likable but lacked depth; this is where some fleshing out was really needed. I just never felt like I knew anyone especially well. The main character of Evie seemed to be rather shallow and well, a bit ‘fickle’ at times – she has feelings for a lot of boys during the course of such a short book and there does not really seem to be much of a reason for many of these feelings. I like a bit more grounding to my story lines rather than where a girl sees a handsome vampire and is immediately head over heels in love to the detriment of self preservation

In the same vein I felt that some of the reactions and emotions in the book were poorly executed. The main character has tragically lost her parents, when she breaks down with grief at their funeral people act like she is a freak. The same goes for later when she is back at school, people can’t understand why she is not back to her usual chipper self. I can’t image that people would be so callous, such a loss would take quite a while to recover from and I would like to think that that most people would be a bit more accommodating especially her close friends.

The storyline was rather interesting, I liked the mystery of it and once it gets started there is enough to keep you interested. There are some twists and turns and at times it even gets to be a bit creepy as the protagonist gets closer and closer to the truth. Although there were some flaws and things that I thought could have been better it was an entertaining story and is a nice addition to the genre

There is a bit of swearing, some blood and a small amount of gore in this book. It’s pretty minimal compared to others in the genre. There is not much in the way of sexual content either, there is some teenage kissing but it’s pretty tame.

Final Comments and Overall Rating:

I did like the story, and although though it might seem like I was harsh, this was mainly because I did like it and I could see the potential for it to be great. Overall ‘The Willows’ was a quick, easy and enjoyable read. If you like vampire or paranormal romance type books then I would recommend you checking it out.

You can check out more on the authors blog.

Rating: ☆☆

NaNoWriMo

noreply@blogger.com (kiwigirl) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 12:39:00 +0000

As many of you know - today is the day.

November 1st is the day that National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) begins.

Thousands of people around the globe will be busily typing or writing away, filled with optimism for the coming month. Many will fall by the wayside, as the days turn into weeks and the inspiration fizzes out or life intervenes, to mention but a few tales of the unfinished.

The goal is to write 50,000 words - it's a huge task and one that only a few achieve. But even if you don't reach your goal at least you took part and you might have the start of something great.

If you are not doing NaNo this year but it sounds interesting, be sure to check out the site and see what goes on. Maybe you might be inspired to try it out in 2013.

For those who are participants this year - best of luck. If you feel like sharing your tips and or any other feelings about NaNo please do so in the comments. I would love to hear from you.

Demon High by Lori Devoti (Review by kiwigirlreads)

noreply@blogger.com (kiwigirl) — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 18:53:00 +0000

Demon High Plot Overview:

There are demons attending Caldera High!

How does Lucinda Dent know?

Because she’s the one who called them and accidentally set them loose.......

Lucinda knew it was a bad idea to call demons - her Mom disappeared ten years ago after dabbling in demon calling for too long. She’s seen what it can do, but with the bank about to foreclose on the only home she’s ever know, Lucinda needs to find some quick cash.

She and the local ‘acquisitions expert’ at her school work out a way to make some money putting on a ‘unique’ show for those who can pay. When it all goes horribly wrong Lucinda finds herself in way over her head.

Now Lucinda needs to find a way to clean up the mess she’s made, before she loses her heart, her soul, her life, or all of the above.

What I thought:

I think that Demon High was a decent enough book, I had a few issues with it but I liked the story well enough. I did think the name let it down a bit, Demon High just makes it seem like it would be a much lighter kind of book where it is in fact in the dark paranormal spectrum. It is of course Young Adult, the characters are in high school as the name suggests. I think that it’s one that still reads as a teenage book (albeit one with mature themes and language) but as an adult I still enjoyed it.

I have seen two cover art pictures for this book, I read it as an eBook and I have to say that the cover art on this edition was a much better reflection on the story. The cover art with the girl with the long hair and white dress along with the name set quite a different tone. I have used the cover art from the eBook edition that I read in this post, I think it might be a later one, and like I said it is much more appropriate.

I have been trying to figure out just what it was that made this book not as enjoyable as others I have read. It was a combination of a few things which I will outline below but I do want to note that I did think it had some good qualities and I would not be reviewing it here if I did not think it was worth reading.

First off it was a bit slow starting, and then even once the demons were called and let loose it was all a bit underwhelming. I felt that it did not really get interesting until they were finally tracking down the bad guy. For me that part was the best, it was where the characters really shone and I began to get into the book. In the beginning there was a lot of new information dropped that was not accompanied by much of an explanation. I know that it’s hard to find a balance and the beginning was slow enough to start off with but some things need to be set up when introducing a new world – we need to know the lingo and the parameters.

Secondly Lucinda, I did not connect with her as a main character, she just seemed a little flat and lacking depth to me. I never ‘got’ how she fell in love like she was supposed to be, it was just never explained enough for me to really feel it. On the other hand I really liked the character of Brittany; she was tough and I thought she was fresh and funny. I liked that she was a bit on the shady side which seemed incongruous with her perky popular girl personality.

I saw that on other reviews a lot of people did not like the ending; I had no issues with it. I think that a lot of people reading may be too caught up in happy endings. I liked that this played out more ‘realistically’ if I can use that term when talking about paranormal fantasy. Of course you have to suspend disbelief for most of the storyline but the human elements and plot continuity still need to work. The world that was created by the author told us demons were bad news, if it had ended all happy fluffy bunnies I would have been disappointed.

Final Comments and Overall Rating:

Overall I liked the story, it was compelling and dark. I would certainly give another book in the series a chance just to see where it goes and perhaps it will improve on the aspects I did not find as appealing.

Rating: ☆☆☆

Dog Days by John Levitt (Review by kiwigirlreads)

noreply@blogger.com (kiwigirl) — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 16:01:00 +0000

Dog Days (A Dog Days Novel) Plot Overview:

In San Francisco not everything is what it seems. Mason is a talented Jazz guitarist who scrapes by playing the odd gig around town. He is also part of a secret community of magical practitioners and although he has tried to leave that life behind him he is about to be dragged right back into the thick of it.

Leaving a gig late one night Mason is attacked by a supernatural creature, he narrowly escapes thanks to his companion Louie (an Ifrit – a magical being that looks like a small dog) and his talent for being able to improvise with his magic.

Mason realises that he is out of his league and reports the incident to his former boss, the self-appointed law for the magical community in San Francisco. Mason learns that there is something seriously wrong in the magical community, practitioners and Ifrits are in danger. Despite Mason’s initial reluctance to get involved in the end it will all come down to him and Mason will find himself tested to his limits – will he be able to save those he cares about?

What I thought:

I really liked Dog Days and have since read the next three books in the series, I read this one a while ago, but I went back and reacquainted myself with it so I could do a review. I figure if you have not heard of the series or have seen it but not given it a go yet then you will be more interested in the first book, especially if you are like me and like to read things in sequence.

First off I really appreciated the clear amount of effort that John Levitt has put into the storyline and details of Dog Days. The book has a very good plot, lots of interesting characters, the setting is described in detail and the magic system is creative and interesting. Dog Days is a fun and entertaining read with a lot of depth.

If you find yourself thinking it’s a bit slow to start off with, all I can say is please stay with it. Compared with some contemporary urban fantasy it’s not as fast paced, but if you stick with it you will find that it has more than enough action to keep you entertained along with some great twists and turns. I also thought that overall it was a bit darker than some novels in the same field that try to wrap everything up in a neat little happy bow at the end, there are real repercussions even for the winners.

I liked the feeling that you get from the setting, there are a lot of descriptions in the story so you can really appreciate that they are in San Francisco – Levitt describes the landmarks, the neighbourhoods and the feeling of the city - for someone who has never been to America this is great and it really adds to the atmosphere. You can feel like you are there, or at least get an idea of what it is like there.

The magical system in the Dog Days universe is well constructed; it is creative and well thought out. There are lots of things that are still a mystery to the characters such as where Ifrits come from and why only some practitioners have them. I think this is great as I like a good mystery. There are quite a few variations on how the practitioners use their magic and some have more talent than others, this is all well explained and seems fairly coherent so far.

The characters on the whole were well written and you get to know them during the story, they all have their own personalities, rivalries and issues so they come across very human. I did think that the women in the story were a bit light and stereotypical however there were only really only two, so I guess it’s not a huge issue. I liked that the characters responded to most situations realistically and that magic is never the be all and end all, it’s used as a tool and they need the skills and talents of many to help resolve the situation.

Mason is the narrator of the story and is not your typical first person hero (compared to a lot of Urban Fantasy nowadays); he’s much more laid-back and less of a smart ass than many of his contemporaries. While I do like that kind of character I still found Mason likable for the most part, he comes across as very real. Differences are what make the world go round and if all books had the same characters then I am sure we would all get bored in no time. I did find him a bit whiny and judgemental at times but I liked that even though he is magical, he is not all that powerful; he knows how to use what he has to his advantage but suffers no delusions of grandeur.

I think for a lot of people the hero of the book is not Mason but his ‘dog’ – Louie. Louie is a magical being called an Ifrit - some practitioners have these creatures but no one knows why or where they come from. They look like normal pets but are smarter and have talents of their own. Louie loves food and acts just like a dog most of the time; he cannot talk either physically or mentally. I think that’s actually a good thing as it adds to the mystery of the Ifrits and makes his relationship with Mason all the more interesting. I liked that even though they can't talk you still get a very real idea of their personalities, the animosity between Louie and Victor's cat Ifrit is a good example of this.

As with all books there were a few things that did not work so well. I found that there were some ideas that got rehashed to often - the idea that Mason treats his magic like his music and is much better at improvisation than planned study and that he has a lot of undeveloped potential if he could just focus. I felt that these two ideas were talked about a bit much, we get the hint you don’t need to bash us over the head with it every five minutes.

The other thing I noticed was that many times in the middle of the action Mason would go off on a tangent and fill in back-story. I know that sometimes this is necessary if the information is really needed but it often ended up being a distraction from the action. When a character is about to have his face chewed off by a monster, I don’t really need to know about a conversation he once had with his mentor. This might be something that the character could reflect on once the action has finished if it is really important to the story.

Final Comments and Overall Rating:

Overall I really liked Dog Days; I thought it was intriguing, suspenseful and imaginative. John Levitt has a nice and easy to read writing style - the mood and the details of the novel are great and this all adds up to a compelling read.

Dog Days Series: Dog Days, New Tricks, Unleashed, Play Dead

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Kate's Blog Giveaway - Win a Paperback Copy of Taste

noreply@blogger.com (kiwigirl) — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 15:51:00 +0000

Break Curfew!

Head on over to Kate Evangelista's blog for you chance to win her new book - Taste.

You can enter the international giveaway via Rafflecopter to be in to win you very own paperback copy.

Rafflecopter Giveaway - Taste by Kate Evangelista

Best of Luck Everyone!

Reign Check by Michelle Rowen (Review by kiwigirlreads)

noreply@blogger.com (kiwigirl) — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 13:18:00 +0000

Demon Princess: Reign Check Plot Overview:

Reign Check is the second book in the Demon Princess Series.

Last week high school girl Nikki Donovan met her Dad for the first time, found out he is a Demon King, stopped an attempted coup and saved both her and her father's lives.

Now Nikki has to deal with the fact that she is a ‘darkling’ half human and half demon, if that’s not enough, the king of the fairy realm just enrolled at her high school to assess if Nikki is a threat or not. Looks like this week is going to be just as busy.

What I thought:

Light and fluffy is what I would call this series. Not that that’s a bad thing, just make sure it’s what you are after. This is teen paranormal chick lit and it’s a cute and entertaining read.

The characters are likable, the story is fast paced and interesting.

The main thing I did not like about this book was the timing, there is only one week between what happened in the first book to what is going on now – it just seems really forced. I don’t really like it when books (or TV) try to push heaps of activity into a short time-span, it seems like this should take place over a month or so. The character keeps talking about how last week she almost died – there could have been more healing time or I don’t think she would be dealing with it as well.

Final Comments and Overall Rating:

If you liked the first one in the series then you will certainly like this one, it carries on and develops in both characterization and themes. A fun, cute read that will that will please most lovers of young adult paranormal romance.

Demon Princess Series: Reign or Shine, Reign Check, Reign Fall

Rating:☆☆☆