The Happy Booker

Review- Life is but a Dream by Brian James

noreply@blogger.com (The Happy Booker) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Title – Life is but a Dream

Author – Brian James

Publisher - Feiwel & Friends

Date Published – March 27, 2012

Review is based on eARC from NetGalley

Life is but a Dream tells the story of a teenager named Sabrina who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and committed to a psychiatric ward. Soon after, she meets Alec, another patient in the psych ward, and together they begin to question whether they even want to “fit in” with society. Sabrina wonders if the medications are designed to turn her into a robotic version of herself, a version that everyone else is comfortable with, but is it really who she is?

The beautiful writing brings to life in vivid detail the strange and colorful world that Sabrina inhabits when lost in her visions. She tries to connect her two realities with her drawings that seem to express all of the things she can’t put into words. There were times when I couldn’t begin to wrap my mind around her logic, but was fascinated all the same. Sabrina’s unusual way of perceiving the world was captured perfectly so that I was able to empathize with her even though I often couldn’t follow her logic. The world she envisioned for herself was filled with color and connection and emotion and once she met Alec, she felt she finally found someone who understood her, who could see the world the same way that she did.

Alec was also a very complex character. He seemed to be always just on the edge of becoming violent, so full of rage and anger. But he seemed to focus all of that negative energy into protecting Sabrina. He also felt like she was the only person who understood him, who saw him for the person that he really was. Together they viewed anyone outside of their little bubble as the enemy. I alternately felt sorry for Alec because he was also just a kid with very real problems, and annoyed with him because he refused to see things that were so obvious and instead made some very stupid impulsive decisions.

There was definitely an aspect of insta-love and obsessive love, but it seemed to be fitting considering the mental issues that Alec and Sabrina each struggled with. Their relationship made sense and was even rather beautiful in its own way. It was so obvious that Alec really cared about Sabrina that I couldn’t help but root for them even when I wasn’t sure whether being together was the best thing for either of them.

Life is but a Dream was an enjoyable, thought provoking story. There were several unexpected surprises. I never felt like I knew exactly where the story was headed. The doctors, nurses, and other background characters were very much in the background but still did not feel one dimensional. The story meandered back and forth from past to present which sometimes became a little confusing. And the choice to forego quotation marks was a bit distracting sometimes when I had to determine who was speaking and whether it was dialog or thoughts. There were, however, very few flaws and I definitely enjoyed reading this.

Rating - 4

Kindle Freebie! 2 Days Only! The Darkening Dream by Andy Gavin

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Smith) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

FREE Two Days Only: A Vampire Novel with Actual Bite!

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

The Darkening Dream is a chilling new dark fantasy novel by Andy Gavin, creator of Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter, that has received rave reviews on Amazon and Goodreads and is FREE for two days only on Amazon Kindle (February 7^th to 8^th)! Download your FREE copy here: http://amzn.to/yTvZPG

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

About The Darkening Dream

Even as the modern world pushes the supernatural aside in favor of science and steel, the old ways remain. God, demon, monster, and sorcerer alike plot to regain what was theirs.

1913, Salem, Massachusetts – Sarah Engelmann’s life is full of friends, books, and avoiding the pressure to choose a husband, until an ominous vision and the haunting call of an otherworldly trumpet shake her. When she stumbles across a gruesome corpse, she fears that her vision was more of a premonition. And when she sees the murdered boy moving through the crowd at an amusement park, Sarah is thrust into a dark battle she does not understand.

With the help of Alex, an attractive Greek immigrant who knows a startling amount about the undead, Sarah sets out to uncover the truth. Their quest takes them to the factory mills of Salem, on a midnight boat ride to spy on an eerie coastal lair, and back, unexpectedly, to their own homes. What can Alex’s elderly, vampire-hunting grandfather and Sarah’s own rabbi father tell them? And what do Sarah’s continuing visions reveal?

No less than Gabriel’s Trumpet, the tool that will announce the End of Days, is at stake, and the forces that have banded to recover it include a 900 year-old vampire, a trio of disgruntled Egyptian gods, and a demon-loving Puritan minister. At the center of this swirling cast is Sarah, who must fight a millennia-old battle against unspeakable forces, knowing the ultimate prize might be her very soul.

The Reviews Are In

"A vampire novel with actual bite." ~The Kirkus Reviews

"Mr. Gavin has brought something refreshingly new to a genre now suffused with poorly-concealed bodice-rippers which have more in common with Fabio than Bram Stoker: depth. His big baddies are scary, not romantic interests, and the added religious lore is complex and engaging. Don't expect another Twilight -- the story can get downright creepy, so be prepared for a return to the old horror sensibilities of supernatural fiction." ~Amazon Review

"With Mr. Gavin's video-game pedigree, I was expecting something aimed squarely at the 18-25 year old fanboy contingent; what I got in The Darkening Dream was something wholly unexpected: A period novel with a female protagonist, a crash-course on Judaism in the colonial years, and multi-layered series of plot arcs featuring a crazy cast of natural and supernatural characters populating 18th Century Colonial America." ~Amazon Review

"…A perfect blend of mystery, magic and myth. A grown-up Grimm's fairy tale...emphasis on grim." ~Amazon Review

Read the first two sample chapters here >> http://bit.ly/xXVxXS

Get your FREE copy of The Darkening Dream for two days only on Amazon here. http://amzn.to/yTvZPG

No eReader or Kindle? No problem. Get free apps for your Web Browser, PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, or Android Phone.

Cover links can be found at:

http://all-things-andy-gavin.com/the-darkening-dream/cover

and

http://all-things-andy-gavin.com/the-darkening-dream/cover-small

Win a Kindle Fire!

noreply@blogger.com (The Happy Booker) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 06:01:00 +0000

Here’s a chance to win one of 10 Kindle Fires and up to 75 free Kindle books from Scott Nicholson and several other best-selling authors! Here are the details:

WIN A KINDLE FIRE IN THE BIG KINDLE BOOGIE

10 Free Kindle Fires, 75 free ebooks, a $500 library donation. Entries for 10 free Kindle Fires are already underway at http://bigkindleboogie.blogspot.com. On Feb. 1-2, bestselling thriller authors J.A. Konrath, Blake Crouch, Scott Nicholson, Lee Goldberg, and Scott Nicholson are making 75 Kindle books free on Amazon. They are also making a $500 donation to the local library of one Kindle Fire winner. Contest is international, no purchase necessary. You can also join the Facebook party at http://www.facebook.com/BigKindleBoogie.

Three easy ways to enter:

Use the entry counters at http://bigkindleboogie.blogspot.com
You can also enter manually by tweeting: 10 free Kindle Fires. 75 free ebooks. http://bit.ly/xWOoKN #bigkindleboogie RT to enter for a Fire!
You can email bigkindleboogie@yahoo.com ONCE PER DAY with "Boogie entry" as subject line

Good luck!

Young Adult Giveaway Hop

noreply@blogger.com (The Happy Booker) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 02:49:00 +0000

Welcome to my stop on the Young Adult Giveaway Hop hosted by the wonderful Kathy at I Am a Reader Not A Writer and by Down the Rabbit Hole. Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by The Happy Booker and enter the giveaway. Following is certainly appreciated but not a requirement. Leave a comment and say hi so I can pay a return visit to your blog.

This giveaway will be fairly straightforward. The winner of my giveaway will have the option to choose which prize pack they want. To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter form.

Prize pack 1: USA Only
ARC of Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
Need by Carrie Jones
eBook copy of Angelfall by Susan Ee

Prize pack 2: US & Int
1 YA Book of your choice up to $15 from The Book Depository
(Please make sure that The Book Depository delivers to your country before entering)

Good Luck & have fun!! Please be sure to visit all of the other amazing blogs participating in this giveaway hop!! Find the linky list here

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Teaser Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (The Happy Booker) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"Looking back, I know we were only filling in the holes in our souls, the way the tide rushes sand to fill in the crevices of a rocky shore. We--or maybe it was just I--bandaged our needs with what we declared was love. But, eventually, the tide draws out what it has swept in." – pg 97

The Taker by Alma Katsu such a beautifully written story with some very dark themes and a hauntingly gothic feel reminiscent of Anne Rice’s earliest books.
What book is your teaser from? Leave me a message so I can go check it out.

Audiobook Review–The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

noreply@blogger.com (The Happy Booker) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Title – The Fault in Our Stars

Author – John Green

Narrated by – Kate Rudd

Length – 7 hours and 14 minutes

Publisher – Brilliance Audio

Audible Released Date– January 10, 2012

Kate Rudd did a phenomenal, outstanding job narrating this highly emotional read. Considering the subject matter and the emotionally charged nature of this book, it would have been so easy to overdo the narration. But Kate Rudd’s performance was perfection, bringing to life these amazing characters and telling this heart-wrenching story so naturally that it was as if I was listening to Hazels private thoughts. And yes, I could still recognize a great narration even when I don’t know how I heard anything over the sobbing mess I was reduced to throughout this book. I highly recommend this audiobook experience to anyone that is interested in reading this book.

The story itself, well, I mean its John Green so of course it was amazing. I love this man’s writing. It’s like he effortlessly creates these wonderfully realistic characters; characters that I’d want to know, that I’d want to become friends with. And by the end of the book, I feel like I DO know them and that we’ve been friends forever and I’m so emotionally entwined in the story that its actually difficult to move on to another book when it is over. I felt like that with Will Grayson, Will Grayson, and I certainly feel like that with this incredible book.

I don’t know that there are many of us whose lives have not been touched in some way by cancer, but even if it hasn’t, almost everybody has lost a loved one too early and has felt the utter unfairness of that loss. The Fault in Our Stars is the story of several kids suffering from cancer and is told from their perspective. It is unapologetically and brutally honest, morbidly humorous, simply just real. This book was so filled with unfiltered truth that it was almost uncomfortable to read in some places. But I still recommend that you do.

By the end of this book, I had cried so many tears that the front of my shirt was wet, and days later I’m still tearing up as I recall the story while I write this review. The Fault in Our stars was a powerful, emotionally intense, and incredibly important read. I highly recommend it to anyone regardless of genre.

Rating 5+

Review- The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe

noreply@blogger.com (The Happy Booker) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:11:00 +0000

Title – The Way We Fall

Author – Megan Crewe

Publisher – Disney-Hyperion

Date Published – January 24, 2012

When I requested The Way We Fall from NetGalley, I was under the assumption that this was another dystopian or post-apocalyptic read, this is not exactly the case. The Way We Fall is set on an island that is quarantined because of an outbreak of a dangerous flu-like virus that is killing people. It is never made clear whether this virus is world-wide or confined only to this island so I don’t know that I would describe this as either dystopian or post-apocalyptic. However, this is just the first book in what I assume will be a series, perhaps this will change in subsequent books.

With that being said, I came to really enjoy The Way We Fall. The book starts off a bit slowish and it wasn’t until almost halfway in that I really became engaged in the story. The story unfolds through a series of letters that is being written by the main character Kaelyn to a boy named Leo. It isn’t explained until much further into the book exactly who Leo is and what his significance is in Kaelyn’s life. Other than a few instances of Kaelyn mentioning Leo’s name, The Way We Fall simply reads like any other first person narrative. Kaelyn describes herself as a bit of a loner who has a difficult time making friends. Many people seem to view her as snobbish or stand offish and she makes a couple attempts to break out of her shyness a bit. During the upheaval caused by this virus, she finds herself thrown into the company of people who she had barely ever exchanged words with previously as the community tries to pull together to make sense out of the chaos. Her character learns and grows throughout the story, coming to some realizations about herself and others and changing the way she thinks and perceives the world because of it.

The romance happens a little fast, but for me it was still pretty much believable. I think that it is realistic to expect that two teenagers who may not have crossed paths before, finding themselves thrown together in a situation like this might be drawn to each other in this way. I will say there are no declarations of undying love and inability to live, breathe or otherwise function without the other, which is refreshing. I liked all of the supporting characters, Kaelyn’s mom, dad, brother, romantic interest, and friend; but I think that they were a bit one dimensional. I would have liked to have seen some more depth to them, although I recognize that this may have been difficult when I was only viewing the story via Kaelyn’s perspective through letters to her friend.

I definitely did NOT like the way it ended. I was so frustrated by the many unanswered questions and the fact that absolutely nothing seemed to be resolved by that ending. I’m not a big fan of cliffhanger endings and I feel like a story has to have at least some resolution by the end even if the story will continue.

Overall, I think that The Way We Fall is a solid and enjoyable read by Megan Crewe and I’ll be interested in seeing where she goes with the story in the next installment. I would recommend The Way We Fall to any fans of YA, Realistic Fiction, or Medical related fiction.

Rating 3

Review–The Reapers are the Angels by Alden Bell

noreply@blogger.com (The Happy Booker) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Title – The Reapers are the Angels
Author – Alden Bell
Narrated by – Tai Sammons
Length – 7 hours 25 minutes
Publisher – Blackstone Audio
Audio Release date – August 3, 2010

I have read so many glowing reviews of The Reapers are the Angels that I simply had to see what all the fuss was about and even though I was warned ahead of time about the bloody bits, I still wanted to read this. I decided to listen to this on audio and I think the narrator did an amazing job giving voice to the conflicted and unique character that was Temple. I would certainly recommend this audio to anyone who is planning to read this.

Temple was an intriguing character, so full of contrasts, she was kind and considerate but with the capacity to become extremely violent if provoked which made sense considering the dangerous world she grew up in. She was also extremely intelligent, logical, and self-aware but at the same time illiterate and simplistic in many ways. Her character fascinated me and reminded me, in a lot of ways, of Saba from Blood Red Road except Temple was much more complex. I was fascinated with the way she accepted the world for what it was and did her best to work within it instead of fight against what she could not control. I have to say, Temple is one of the most interesting characters I’ve read.

The writing was vividly descriptive and unapologetically raw. It brought to life a bleak and desolate world overrun by the undead who were themselves more pathetic and sad than scary. The pockets of survivors that Temple came upon showed the best and worst of humanity. It was interesting to see the many ways that desperation and hopelessness may cause people to react. There were some people and situations that pushed the boundaries of believability, even for a zombie book but for the most part, I could realistically imagine that this is what the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse would look like.

For some reason, I felt really disconnected from the story. I’m not sure whether it was the third person narration or the philosophical and highly allegorical way this was written, but while I could pick out a hundred beautifully phrased quotes, I was never truly engaged in the story. At times I felt that the writing was almost a bit pretentious and that it tried so hard to be literature as opposed to genre fiction that it overreached and ended up just being absurd. Or it could simply be that I am more interested in being entertained by a story than in trying to ponder life’s mysteries or decipher allegory.

I definitely enjoyed listening to The Reapers are the Angels and, while it wasn’t really my thing, I can certainly see where other people would appreciate the writing style and depth.

Rating 3

Review–Ultraviolet by RJ Anderson

noreply@blogger.com (The Happy Booker) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Title - Ultraviolet
Author – RJ Anderson
Publisher – Carolrhoda Books
Date Published – September 1, 2011

Ultraviolet introduces us to Alison, a sixteen year old girl who finds herself committed to psychiatric hospital after what others believe was a psychotic episode. Alison is convinced that she murdered her classmate but she can’t explain how she did it or where the body is. Her fractured relationship with her parents make her reluctant to be honest with her doctor, but when a researcher arrives and with his tests uncovers what Alison has worked for so long to keep secret, she begins to discover some difficult truths about herself.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I had briefly heard of synesthesia in Raw Blue but Ultraviolet definitely piqued my interest in the subject even further. Alison’s unusual way of sensing things was described in such detail, I was absolutely fascinated. Alison’s character was extremely well developed, flawed in very real ways and her journey to understanding herself and accepting her abilities as well as her faults was beautifully written.

The negatives for me was that the romance felt forced and weak and a little uncomfortable. I don’t think that it was necessary to the story and I think that it would have worked much better without it. The sci-fi aspects were also rather weakly done, in my opinion. Where Alison’s time in the hospital was intriguing and emotional, the direction the story then took was a bit dull in comparison.

Overall, I really enjoyed Ultraviolet and would absolutely recommend it to anyone who would enjoy a beautifully written story that includes aspects of mental illness, sci-fi, and paranormal abilities.

Rating 3

Review- Everneath by Brodi Ashton

noreply@blogger.com (The Happy Booker) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Title – Everneath
Author – Brodi Ashton
Publisher – Harper Collins
Date Published – January 24, 2012

This gorgeous cover and the intriguing summary had me super eager to get my hands on this debut novel by Brodi Ashton. Unfortunately it ended up being a bit less than what I was expecting. I love books that are based on mythology and are a bit dark, so when I saw that this was described as a reimagining of Hades and Persephone, I was quite excited. I don’t think this really lived up to any version of the Hades/Persephone story that I have ever read. First of all, I thought that it lacked the passion and emotional depth necessary to compare with that mythological couple. My main issue with Everneath was the writing style. Each chapter seemed to jump back and forth from past to present making it really hard to follow the story or connect in any real way with the characters. There were a lot of questions that were left unanswered and many things left unexplained by the end. I thought the characters were either unlikable or in Jack’s case, likable but boring. I will say that the last bit of the book was much better than I was expecting after how frustrated I was by the beginning. In short, Everneath was simply not for me. There have been many other people who really enjoyed this book though! Check out Lisa’s review at The Nocturnal Library for a more in depth and positive take on Everneath.

Rating – 2

This review is for the ebook ARC of Everneath from NetGalley

Review: Feed by Mira Grant

noreply@blogger.com (The Happy Booker) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Title: Feed

Author: Mira Grant
Publisher: Orbit
Date Published: May 2010

Feed came so highly recommended by those whose opinions I trust most that I finally put aside my aversion to all things zombie and decided to read this book. And wow, am I so glad that I did. I was told that Feed did not have what you would usually expect from a book containing zombies, there weren't any vivid brain devouring scenes of blood and gore, the absence of which is what finally prompted me to pick this book up. There are essentially zombies all through this book and they are a huge part of the story, but this book is moreso about how people are surviving in a world turned to chaos and how essential an unbiased media presence would be when trying to once again create a semblance of order.

For me, the real heart of Feed was George and Shaun's story. I LOVED these characters. This adopted brother and sister pair very quickly stole my heart and their relationship fascinated me throughout the entire book. It reminded me of some documentaries that I've seen about identical twins, that they grow up relying so heavily on each other that it is difficult if not impossible to allow other people into their world. I love the way Shaun always protected his sister even though, from George's perspective, it always seemed that he was the impulsive, unruly, naughty child that she had to look out for, always warning him to stay out of trouble and worrying about his reckless behavior. But the truth was in the beautifully written small details. For example, Georgia wasn't comfortable touching people, so Shaun would automatically step up to offer a handshake when meeting someone. They knew each others thoughts and loved each other with a depth that goes beyond most siblings yet wasn't romantic or sexual even though it kind of gave that kind of vibe.

There were some slow chapters where the author gave a lot of information about the politics, the world, and journalism. I wasn't really able to relate to the constant obsession with ratings. Especially considering the way George and Shaun were raised it was hard for me to understand why they would also concern themselves so much with what seems to me such an irrelevant thing. But then, I'm not really that kind of blogger myself, things like that genuinely don't matter to me so it makes sense why its hard for me to relate to that in someone else. There were only a few small things that seemed inconsistent to me but I enjoyed the story so much that these small issues were inconsequential. At the end of the day, I loved this story. Despite, or maybe even because of, the many many tears I shed at that very unexpected twist near the end. For me, that was the end of the book because I honestly can't remember what I read after that point although I know there were some more words, pages, etc after that. I just don't remember what they said.

I'm going to leave my first thoughts after turning the last page as part of this review:

My masochistic heart can do nothing but rate this book a full 5 stars. I have to commend Mira Grant on how she managed to create such a compelling story and include zombies (which I don't even like btw) and introduce me to these amazing characters that I have no choice but to fall completely in love with and then, without warning, take it all away. I can almost picture the sadistic smile on this author's face as she gleefully ripped my heart out, stomped on it, then poked it a few times with Shaun's zombie stick, leaving me a broken, sobbing mess. Nice, Mira Grant, very nice.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dystopian fiction, sci-fi, and those who understand that not every story requires a H-E-A.

Rating: 5

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Congratulations Winners!

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Smith) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 01:08:00 +0000

I want to thank the amazing people who participated in my Book Stars of 2011 feature, from the amazing guest posts by some of the best bloggers/reviewers I know to the awesome post and interview with two of my absolute favorite authors, this was such a fun feature for me!! I found plenty of new books to add to my to-read list for 2012! I hope you did too! I was a little surprised by how many of you stopped by to comment or enter a giveaway and I wish I had enough books to send one to each and every one of you! Thank you for helping me end my first year as a blogger on such a positive note!
Anyway, on to the lucky winners!!
The two winners of 2 books from my top 10 list are:Nakoya & Elena
The winner of a signed copy of Anna Dressed in Blood is:Lisa R
The winner of the eBook copy of Angelfall is:Brenda D
The two winners of 1 book from Maja's top 10 are:Tiffany D & Roxanne K
Congratulations to all of you! I've already emailed all of the winners and am waiting to hear back from them. My sincere thanks to each and every person that took the time to enter any of these giveaways and comment on a guest post or interview!!
The Happy Booker also reached over 1,000 followers at the end of December. That put quite a big smile on my face! Following is not a requirement to enter my giveaways so I hope that all of you continue to stop by and say hi now and then!! I will be having another giveaway in the next few weeks to celebrate this milestone as well as my first year as a blogger. I hope to make it a big one, maybe a Kindle or a Nook I'm thinking, but that won't be until February after I've financially recovered from Christmas!! lol Have a wonderful new year!!!

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Completed Challenges - 2011 Debut Author Challenge & 2011 Audiobook Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (The Happy Booker) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 21:53:00 +0000

While there were several challenges I began but didn't quite complete successfully, including my goal of 100 books in a year (Only read 85) I am happy that I was able to complete at least two of my challenges, The first one- The Story Siren's 2011 Debut Author Challenge - I read and reviewed 21 debuts in 2011, yay!!! Two of them ended up being my absolute favorite reads of 2011, Anna Dressed in Blood and Angelfall. 2011 was an AWESOME year for debut authors! I can't wait to check out the 2012 Debuts and have already signed up for the 2012 DAC!! How about you? Which debuts did you read this year?

1. Beth Revis - Across The Universe
2. Cynthia Hand - Unearthly
3. Kristi Cook - Haven
4. Julia Karr- XVI
5. Laruen DeStefano - Wither
6. Ransom Riggs - Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
7. Karsten Knight - Wildefire
8. Veronica Roth - Divergent
9. Amy Plum - Die For Me
10.Jo Treggiari - Ashes, Ashes
11.Anna Carey - Eve
12.Jennifer Castle - The Beginning of After
13.Anne Ursu - Breadcrumbs
14.Moira Young - Blood Red Road
15.Gretchen McNeil - Possess
16.Kendare Blake - Anna Dressed in Blood
17.Tahereh Mafi - Shatter Me
18.Susan Ee - Angelfall
19.Suki Michelle and Carlyle Clark - The Apocalypse Gene
20.Amy Kathleen Ryan - Glow
21. Ruta Sepetys - Shades of Gray

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I didn't do too bad with the audiobook challenges I signed up for at Bewitched Bookworms and Teresa's Reading Spot. While I didn't quite make it to 20, I came close. I have so much fun listening to audiobooks!! With the right narrator and the right story, an audio book can be the best way to experience a book. For example, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys were two examples of an amazing story with a phenomenal narration!! I didn't listen to quite as many audiobooks as I would have liked in 2011, but I still finished 17 which isn't a bad number. I'm going to try for twenty in 2012!

1.The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
2.If I stay by Gayle Forman
3.Need - Carrie Jones
4. Neal Shusterman - Everlost
5. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
6.Dolen Perkins-Valdez - Wench
7. Julie Berry - The Amaranth Enchantment
8. Brom - The Child Thief
9.Amy Kathleen Ryan - Glow
10.Robert Kirkman - The Walking Dead - Rise of the Governor
11.Meg Cabot- Abandon
12.Veronica Roth - Divergent
13.John Connolly - The Gates
14.Mary E. Pearson - The Adoration of Jenna Fox
15.Suzanne Collins - Hunger Games Trilogy
16.Ruta Sepetys - Shades of Gray
17. Suzanne Young - A Need So Beautiful

Which challenges did you complete in 2011? Were there any that you, like me, didn't quite manage to finish?

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Review: Touch of Power–Maria V. Snyder

noreply@blogger.com (The Happy Booker) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Title: Touch of Power
Author: Maria V. Snyder
Publisher: Harlequin

Date Published: December 27, 2011
Format reviewed: eARC via NetGalley

First of all, let me say that I love Maria V. Snyder's exceptional use of details and wonderful world building. I am such a huge fan of her Study series and I was thrilled to read and review the first book of her new "Healer" series.

Touch of Power features a richly detailed high fantasy world which has been decimated by plague and the blame has been placed on the shoulders of the Healers who are routinely hunted and killed. Avry, a young healer, has been on the run for what seems like ages. Forced to move from town to town, never setting down roots, and never letting anyone get too close. When Avry makes the mistake of healing a sick child, she finds herself arrested and sentenced to die. The night before her scheduled date with the guillotine, a rag tag group of rescuers break her out, saving her life only to try to force her to heal their friend, a potential political rival to the powers that be. With the world in such a state of political upheaval, it seems that everyone who can gather an army can proclaim themselves a ruler. Chaos and lawlessness is the rule of the day, and Avry believes that the man they wish her to heal is the main cause of all of the problems.

While I found the pacing to be sometimes tediously slow, I thoroughly enjoyed many of the details, such as the man eating Death-lilies. I wouldn't like to stumble upon one of them in a forest!! The many different types of magic were also fascinating. For some reason, I found the characterization in Touch of Power to be the weakest of all of Snyder's books. However, this could simply be because of all of the world building and plot development necessary to set up this series. I sometimes find this to be the case with the first book in a high fantasy series. There are so many details that need to be covered, world, plot, magic systems, and other minutia, that the characters sometimes fall flat. With that being said, I still LIKED Touch of Power, it simply wasn't one of my favorites. I will absolutely read the next in this series because I love Maria V. Snyder's writing and I'm sure this series will only get better!

I loved that Touch of Power did not end on a cliffhanger. This story could stand on its own, leaving those details left unknown up to the readers' imagination. I can't wait to see where the author takes this story in the next installment in the series. I would recommend this to fans of Maria V. Snyder and those who enjoy YA high fantasy.

Rating: 3

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Book Stars Guest Post : SQT from Fantasy and Sci-Fi Lovin' News and Reviews Top 5 Reads of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Smith) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0000

The final guest post of The Happy Booker's Book Stars of 2011 is from SQT from Fantasy & Sci-Fi Lovin' News & Reviews. I have been a huge fan of SQT's amazing blog since I first began blogging last year! I can always count on her book recommendations, particularly in the Epic and High Fantasy genres, she always manages to find all of the hidden gems in that genre! I was so happy that she agreed to write a guest post for this feature! Here's a quick list of her favorite reads from 2011. Were any of them on your favorites list too?
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SQT's Top 5 Favorites of 2011

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor With her poetic style Laini Taylor showed that YA fiction doesn't have to be all about angst-ridden teenagers and non-stop sarcasm. This is a beautiful fantasy that alternates between a modern, picturesque Prague and a world of fantastic creatures. I loved this atmospheric fantasy. Review HERE

Dead of Night by Jonathan Maberry "Dead of Night" isn't Maberry first foray into zombie-themed fiction but this story is less of a thriller than a full-fledged horror story. Maberry doesn't forget the characters and the story is as introspective as it is taut. A very original take on the zombie story that does a credible job of creating a real-world explanation for a usually unbelievable monster. Review HERE

The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss Rothfuss brings back his hero Kvothe in another soulful foray into his long and event-filled past. Rothfuss has the unique ability to take his time with a story without making it boring and his prose is beautifully rendered. This isn't a book for the fan of fiction that has the characters rushing around with a lot of pointless action. It's a grown-up fantasy for the reader that knows what it's like to look back on life with both fondness and regret. Review HERE

Divergent by Veronica Roth "Divergent" has garnered a lot of comparisons to "The Hunger Games" thanks to its action-packed style. But Roth deserves credit for creating her own brand of dystopian fiction that is perhaps more uncomfortably plausible than "The Hunger Games." Tris, the main character, is just the right kind of blend of stubborn and resilient who never ventures into the cookie-cutter territory of annoyingly sarcastic like so many YA heroines. I'm eagerly looking forward to the sequel Insurgent , due in May of 2012. Review HERE

Among Thieves by Douglas Hulick I read "Among Thieves" early in 2011 and it still ranks high on my list of this year's favorites. The thief as the main character and sometimes-hero is nothing new, but in Hulick's hands the story is nonetheless fresh with subtle magic and lots of intrigue. It's action packed but never overly busy and I can't wait for the release of the sequel Sworn in Steel, due in June of 2012. Review HERE

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Thanks for stopping by The Happy Booker today and for participating in my Book Stars of 2011 feature! I hope everyone has enjoyed the wonderful guest posts and has found several awesome books to add to their to-read list!! Happy Holidays!

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2011 YA Story Scavenger Hunt!

noreply@blogger.com (The Happy Booker) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0000

I'm today's hunt stop for the 2011 YA Story Scavenger Hunt!

Follow the hunt every day during the month of December! Answer the daily trivia questions from MG and YA books published during 2011 to be entered into the YA book giveaway.

Today's question is from The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa.

Question #51: Where does Puck find a copy of A Midsummer Night's Dream?

Remember to fill out your answer in the form at Most Important Letter here!

Linda

Most Important Letter

(reviewers: Linda, Tori, and Thy)

Happy Holidays!!

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Smith) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 21:04:00 +0000

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!! Whether it is Christmas, or Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa or however you choose to celebrate the holidays, I hope that they bring you and yours an abundance of happiness!! It's supposed to be a fairly warm Christmas here in eastern NC this year, so I am looking forward to enjoying the beautiful weather! I hope everyone is keeping warm and enjoying time with friends and family!!

2011 has been such an awesome year! Thank you to all of the incredible authors, publishers, book bloggers, readers, reviewers, and THB followers for making 2011 the best year ever!! I appreciate each and every one of you who took the time to stop by and leave a comment, enter a giveaway, or just say hi. I made a couple new blogger friends this year and even had the chance to chat with a few amazing authors! My first year blogging books has been so much fun and I look forward to sharing my love of books with all of you in 2012!!

Next week I'll be wrapping up my Book Stars of 2011 feature and posting my 2012 Reading Challenges. I didn't do so well at those this year but I am hopeful for 2012! There are so many awesome reading challenges to choose from, I'm trying to choose which ones I can reasonably commit to. And I am considering creating one of my own, I haven't decided for sure yet....

Until then, here's a picture of our tree and my son Damian and his friend Victor in their Power Rangers stance in front of the bookshelves....

Happy Holidays!!!

Review: Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

noreply@blogger.com (The Happy Booker) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Title: Under the Never Sky

Author: Veronica Rossi

Publisher: Harper Teen

Publishing Date: January 3, 2012

Under the Never Sky deposits the reader into a disconcerting futuristic world where most of the remaining population lives partially underground in what are called pods. In order to keep their sanity in such a crowded enclosed space, these Dwellers spend most of their time in virtual reality “Realms” which advanced technology has created to almost perfectly simulate life, including senses like touch and smell. Within these realms, a simple thought causes action, no need to even walk or talk, just think it and you will be doing it in these “realms.” Its absolutely fascinating.

Aria’s mother is a geneticist doing some top secret studies in a pod hundreds of miles away from their home pod “Reverie.” When their link in the Realms is suddenly broken and Aria doesn’t hear from her mother for over a week, she is determined to find out what is going on. When her search causes her to cross people in high places, she finds herself exiled from the pods and deposited on the outside, which she is sure is a death sentence. All Aria knows of the outside is that those that live out there are savages, cannibals, and who knows what else. Not to mention the unpredictable Aether storms that rain fire down onto the earth, leaveing whole stretches of land nothing but scorched desolate wastelands. In order to survive, Aria strikes a deal with one of the dreaded Outsiders with the hope that he will help her locate her mother and get herself back inside and back into the Realms which is much better than reality.

At the beginning of Under the Never Sky, the main characters, Aria and Peregrine are not very likable characters at all. Both are immature, selfish, and inconsiderate. Both have ideas about who the other is based on the things they have heard, the stories they’ve been told about “Moles” and “Savages". Aria thinks he is a mindless violent barbarian and he thinks Aria is a weak idiot. Neither of them do much to prove the other wrong for a while, both so focused on their own personal pain and intentions that the other’s needs seem inconsequential to them. Throughout their journey, however, they come to discover the value in each others strengths and learn to appreciate one another a bit more.

Peregrine, or Perry, seemed at the beginning to be an immature, impulsive, brat who threw temper tantrums when he did not get his way and made dangerous choices with no thought for the consequences to himself or others. The power struggle with his brother over establishing dominance was fascinating but it was relationship with his nephew that brought out what was good in Perry at first. His character grows so much as he begins to learn from some of the consequences of his actions. By the end of this book, I’m halfway in love with him myself. I’m typically not one to go on about the romantic aspect of a book, but this was nearly perfectly done. The author made me go from dislike, to respect, to attraction right along with Aria, so of course the romance was completely believable for me!! And it definitely gets pretty hot and heavy!! Aria also grew as a character throughout the book and I came to really like and empathize with her. But to be honest, from when Peregrine first appeared in the pages, for me, the story became all about him. He’s one of those larger than life kind of characters that seems to fill up all the space on the page even when he’s the one that says the least.

I really enjoyed the contrast of the high tech world that Aria grew up in with the almost primitive world that Perry inhabits. Those that live outside the pods have adapted to the everchanging landscape and fierce and unpredictable ether storms. Some have very primitive and animalistic features and have also developed intensified senses, such as sight (night vision), smell (can scent emotions) and auditory (can hear minute noises from long distances). Perry is one of those rare people that have two overdeveloped senses, sight and smell. For him, all emotions have a very specific scent and he can nearly determine someones thoughts by the smell they give off. Its incredibly intriguing. I hope to learn more about what occurred to cause these changes in those that live outside the pods and how that caused some people to inherit these abilities.

There is so much I could say about how incredible this book was. From the fascinating yet terrifying world to the swoon-worthy romance to the intense plot, I LOVED this book. I also truly enjoyed the secondary characters, none of whom ever fell flat and each one continued to surprise me with unanticipated layers of depth. If I have one complaint about Under the Never Sky its that it ends on a cliffhanger, nothing is actually resolved in this story which is certainly frustrating, but I liked this books so much that I’m even willing to overlook that. That awesome twist at the end makes it all worth it! Wow, I didn’t even see that one coming at all!

I think Under the Never Sky is one of the best YA dystopias I’ve read and I highly recommend it! If you like thrilling, intense, sweeping, dramatic dystopias filled with action and a bit of romance then trust me, you definitely want this incredible read on your shelf!! This is a brilliant debut by Veronica Rossi and I am simply dying to read the sequel!!

Rating:

Guest Post- 2011 Book Boyfriends by Missie from The Unread Reader

noreply@blogger.com (The Happy Booker) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Before I ever started blogging, I was a follower of Missie at The Unread Reader. Her reviews have so much personality that its always such a treat to drop by her fun and entertaining blog. One of my favorite features on The Unread Reader is “My Book Boyfriends”. So of course, she was the perfect choice to list the most sigh-worthy, swoontastic and squeelicious fictional male characters of 2011!! Welcome Missie and thanks for stopping by!!

Howdy, Y'all. Missie, The Unread Reader, here, taking over Donna's blog with a Texas sized YeeHaw!
As a 30's something gal, who constantly and inappropriately swoons over boys in books, it was quite the challenge to narrow down my massive list of book boyfriends to the Top 5 of 2011! Since I had such a hard time choosing, I just had to throw in a bonus boyfriend. Hope y'all don't mind. :)

My Top 5, plus 1 Book Boyfriends!

#6. Jack, the Devil from Crushed Seraphim by Debra Anastasia.
Not only is Jack sexy as sin, he's also hot as hell, which is so appropriate since he's the devil, and a pretty horny one too. Of all the book boyfriends I've had this year, he was a surprise because I wasn't expecting to fall in love with him like I did.

"Imagine what happens when the Devil kisses an angel." ~Jack

#5. Leif Helgarson from The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne!
Leif is a Viking and he's a vampire. I honestly don't know if there is a more perfect combo in the world for me since I happen to love both! Thank you Norse Gods and Cain!

"Tell me, Atticus, have you ever, ah, squeed?" ~Leif

#4. Ryan (Rhino) from Raw Blue by Kirsty Eagar.
I was so blown away by how Ryan didn't freak out when the girl he was interested in had a break down and started sobbing buckets. Any guy who is willing to let a girl cry it out has my heart forever! He was so tender, yet he never lost his tough guy appeal.

"I want to be here." ~Ryan

#3. Rodolfo Greco from River of Time series by Lisa T. Bergren.
He's dark, dangerous and Italian! I honestly don't know if there is a more perfect combo in the world for me. Oh wait! Didn't I already say that? Anyhoo, I'm powerless to resist a knight in shinning armor, especially one that wants me to want him.

"What is it you long for most?" ~Lord Greco

#2. Atticus O’Sullivan from The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne.
Make me full belly laugh, and I'm yours forever! Yes, Atticus, you're stuck with me, and I'm totally ready to have 250 kids with you! Plus, how could I ever resist a guy who isn't shy about running around with his twig and berries exposed!

"Shut up. I'm Irish." ~Atticus

#1. Thomas Finch Mackee from Saving Francesca & The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta.
Tom is exactly the kind of guy I would have loathed (secretly loved) in high school. From the exterior, he may seem like a guy who could care less, but he's actually the type that cares too much. My heart swells every time I think about him.

“The guacamole was a mistake,” ~Tom

So that's it! My top book boyfriends of 2011! They'd be perfect for me if only they weren't so fictional. *le sigh*
Special thanks to Donna for letting me share my love for boys in books today!
Happy Holidays!

Thanks for stopping by Missie!!

Who are some of your “Book Boyfriends” of 2011?? My vote is for Raffe from Angelfall and Ryan from Raw Blue! Leave a comment and let us know who you'd like to catch under your mistletoe!!

Author Interview and Giveaway–Susan Ee

noreply@blogger.com (The Happy Booker) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0000

I was so excited that Susan Ee overlooked my super fangirl-ish email and agreed to answer a few interview questions about Angelfall. As I’m sure you’ve heard me mention every time I get a chance, I thought Angelfall was one of the best books of 2011 and also one of my favorite books of all time! If you haven’t read this, you are seriously missing out, and right now, its just 99 cents at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. You can’t beat that!! Also, Susan Ee will be giving one lucky winner an eBook copy of Angelfall! Thanks so much, Susan, for stopping by The Happy Booker today!!

1. As I told you in my email immediately after finishing your novel, Angelfall was one of my favorite reads of 2011. Can you briefly tell my readers about Angelfall?

SE- Angelfall is the story of what happens after angels come and destroy the modern world. Six weeks later, street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.
Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

2. I think Angelfall would be appealing to both YA as well as adult readers. Would you consider Angelfall to be YA or Adult fiction?

SE- Good question. There's a debate among the readers about that. Many of the readers are adults who read YA. It seems that most people classify it as mature YA. Just as we humans don't suddenly go from young adult to adult, I think Angelfall is also in that gray area. I'm happy to have it be considered either YA or straight up urban or dark fantasy.

3. I was so impressed by how you handled the matter of religion in Angelfall. Was handling Christian concepts like the apocalypse and archangels without focusing heavily on religion a challenge for you?

SE- Thank you. Because the story is told from Penryn's point of view, handling the religion was fairly straight-forward. She's too busy surviving to focus much on religion unless it has bearing on her or her family's survival.

4. I found Penryn's mother with her struggle with mental illness to be particularly fascinating. Which characters were the most challenging to write and which were the easiest to write?

SE- Raffe was the hardest to write. He's a tough one to get to know. I wrote a lot of pages in his voice from his point of view to try to get to know him better. Penryn was probably the easiest to write. She was pretty open with her thoughts with me.

5. As I said in my review, Raffe is my new fictional crush. Did his character change at all from how you envisioned him when you first began writing the book? What would you say are his strengths and weaknesses?

SE- I'm a huge fan of Raffe. I'm glad I'm not the only one. :) I learned about him as the story unfolded so I hadn't really envisioned him before writing. I'd say he has a few traits that are both strengths and weaknesses. Examples are the bond he feels with his warriors and his determination to get his wings back. Penryn, of course, turns into both a strength and weakness for him as the story progresses.

6. The not quite relationship between Raffe and Penryn was so incredibly well done, with the slow progression from distrust to mutual respect to attraction. He has explained to Penryn why a relationship between them is impossible but... they are going to eventually work it out, right?

SE- Ah, I have my hopes… but I actually have far less control than you might think. I can't really interfere with what the characters do or the decisions they make. I'm just here to tell you what I discover about the story. (I am rooting for a happy ending, though.)

7. Toward the end, Angelfall went in an almost sci-fi direction, will you continue in this direction in subsequent books?

SE- The story will continue to explore Penryn's discoveries in the basement but that'll be closer to dark fantasy/ horror than sci-fi. I'm far more concerned about the story of the characters than I am about what genre the plot falls into, so the genre may drift a bit. Just as I'm fine with people debating whether Angelfall is YA or straight up urban fantasy, I'll be fine with some discussion over whether the stories are tinged with sci-fi or not. So long as the readers are absorbed and entertained with Penryn's story, I'll be happy.

8. What type of research did you do for Angelfall?

SE- I dove into the Book of Enoch, which was one of the discoveries of the Dead Sea scrolls. It talks about the Watchers and their nephilim. Fascinating stuff. I also did some research into fighting techniques through women's' self defense classes, jujitsu books, and consulted with a black belt martial artist. Then, I spent an evening with a weapons collector to figure out what kind of angel sword a petite girl could carry, as well as what types of guns the Resistance would carry. We decided a gladius would be the best sword for Penryn. I got to swing one around and felt the heft and balance of a gladius. It was fun.

9. What books or genre started your love of reading and inspired you to write?

SE- I have a life-long love for science fiction, fantasy and horror.

10. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in writing your book?

SE- That my subconscious does all the good writing. :) My primary job as a writer is to get out of the way and carve out the time and space for it to do its job.

Just for fun:
11. If you had to wake up in a world created by another author, which book/world would you choose and why?

SE- I'd love to wake up in Hogwarts. It would just be so much fun. :)

12. What are five songs currently on your playlist?

SE- Music is so atmospheric. But I need a clean slate to be a conduit for the story. I need to be open to the mood that's happening in the story itself and don't want to impose one on any given moment. So unlike a lot of writers, I don't listen to music while I work.

13. If Penryn was to write a Christmas list, what would be on it?

SE- Chocolate for Paige. Pills to soothe Mom. Snowy wings for Raffe. A hidden stash of food, enough for her whole family. Really comfy hiking socks. A long, hot shower. A moment of peace with Raffe.

Last but not least:
14. What can we expect to see from you in 2012 (Please say a sequel!!)

SE- Yes, a sequel! :)

Thank you so much for having me on The Happy Booker!

Cheers,

Thanks Susan!! You can connect with Susan and find out more about Angelfall on her blog - http://susanee.com/, Facebook, Twitter, or Google+.

Buy a copy of Angelfall for just 99 cents at Amazon or Barnes and Noble!

To win an eBook copy of Angelfall, simply fill out the Rafflecopter form.
This giveaway is INT, Giveaway ends at midnight on January 1.
Extra entries for tweeting the giveaway and adding Angelfall on Goodreads
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mid-Winters Eve Giveaway Hop - INT

noreply@blogger.com (The Happy Booker) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 04:50:00 +0000

Welcome to my stop on the Mid-Winter’s Eve Blog Hop hosted by Kathy at I Am A Reader Not A Writer and Jessie Harrell from Oasis for YA! My giveaway is going to be fairly short and sweet. One winner, one book of your choice up to $15 from The Book Depository. Anyone can enter as long as TBD has free shipping to your country. You can get an extra entry for Following my blog via GFC, Facebook (click the “like” button on the right sidebar), and for tweeting my giveaway (use the share links at the bottom of the post).

Thanks for stopping by The Happy Booker and good luck!!

Please take the time to enter some of my fabulous Book Stars of 2011 Giveaways while you’re here then get back to Mid-Winter Hopping to all the wonderful folks listed here.

Guest Post–Why You Should Be Reading Angelfall–By Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalking Queen of the Undead

noreply@blogger.com (The Happy Booker) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0000

A few months ago, I was fortunate to stumble upon an incredible review of Angelfall on Goodreads and Michelle’s enthusiasm for this book was so contagious that I immediately purchased the ebook and set aside everything else I was reading and started reading Angelfall. Wow! It blew me away! I have since paid very close attention to Michelle’s reviews on Goodreads and have found quite a few books to add to my to read list based on her reviews. Her passion for the books she loves is obvious in her reviews and it makes me want to read those books too!! I was so thrilled that she agreed to write a guest post about Angelfall. In my opinion, Angelfall was one of the very best books of 2011 and I think everyone should be reading it. And I think that Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalking Queen of the Undead is the perfect person to tell you why you should be reading it!! Welcome Michelle to The Happy Booker!

You can follow Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalking Queen of the Undead’s incredible reviews on Goodreads!

I’ve never been the fan girl type. If I like a book, I simply like it. After that, I move on. I do not follow blogs by authors. I do not email authors. I do not start fan groups to track the progress of the next book in the series. That is until a particular book came along. That book’s name….
Angelfall!

I originally downloaded Angelfall to my Kindle because it was cheap and the 5-star reviews on Goodreads were pretty convincing. However, I had been burned by 5-star reviews (oh that is harsh, how about I’ve “disagreed” with many 5 star reviews) so I wasn’t expecting anything spectacular. Boy was I wrong!

Knowing what I know now about Angelfall, I would have paid 10 times the price I paid for the book. Yeah, it is THAT good. How good?

It is not just my favorite YA book.
It is not just my favorite Urban Fantasy book.
It is not just my favorite paranormal book.
It is not just my favorite book with angels.
It is hands down, my favorite book of 2011!

The. Perfect. Escape!
Angelfall is the perfect escape. You simply get lost in the book. You aren’t reading the novel; you are living within the novel. Within a few pages (I also swore I’d never say the cheesy line... “Within a few pages”), I was immersed in the dark, gritty, gory, post-apocalyptic world. Seriously folks! The world building in this book makes me want to yell to other YA authors (really ALL authors not just YA authors) “this is how you write a great attention-grabbing novel with top-notch world building”.

So, I’m sitting in this post-apocalyptic world and it is has been overtaken by angels. Yes Angels. Not the sweet, cute boy angels we know from other YA books but serious, sword wielding, destroy the human race, type angels. And these angels, they aren’t even fallen! In this world, angels can kick some serious butt.

To survive in this world, you need to have some serious skills. You can’t just have the world you know blow up in front of you and know how to survive. So, which humans survive in this world? Maybe those with military skills? Maybe those with karate skills? Maybe a young girl of 17 having a homicidal schizophrenic mother; who in an episode of sanity, tells you to do whatever it takes to protect yourself from her moments of paranoia? That’s Penryn.

Penryn is prepared for this new world because she’s been protecting her paralyzed sister (Paige) and her own self from her mom’s dangerous episodes of paranoia. Penryn not only has learned how to protect herself and her sister, she’s also learned basic butt-kicking survival skills. All these skills make Penryn strong, without being aggressive, tactful without being manipulative and fiercely protective without being overbearing.

The problem is Penryn can’t do it all. An angel kidnaps Paige in a moment of nasty revenge. To save Paige, Penryn saves another angel in hopes he will guide her to where the angels are keeping Paige.
Raffe is the injured angel that Penryn saves. What Penryn doesn’t know is she didn’t just save a “normal” angel. Raffe, besides his severed wings, and his cocky attitude, has a deeper, mysterious and extremely intriguing side that not only infuriates Penryn but also attracts her in ways that she initially resists. Some of the dialogue between Raffe and Penryn killed me. I’m not a romantic at heart but when Raffe is trying to push Penryn away, I felt like my heart was breaking. I was wondering if somehow, I turned into a 13 year old with my first crush. It is not blatant romance instead the two characters learn to not only live with each other, but live for each other.

The journey Penryn takes with Raffe to save his sister was action packed, heart wrenching, sad, and even humorous at times. The story is packed full of action, suspense, a bit of mystery, great side characters and outstanding world building.

This book is not just for young adults. In fact, the only criticism I’ve seen around the net has been how some of the scenes may be too graphic for young teens. The book appeals to both girls/boys, & men/women. In other words, everyone.

Now that you know, what are you waiting for? It can’t be the price, if the book got any cheaper, it would be free! It’s 99 cents! Go now, stop reading this and begin reading the book!

Thanks so much Michelle!! I hope to have you as a guest poster on The Happy Booker again sometime!
You heard her! You definitely want to be reading this incredible book!! At just 99 cents, what’s stopping you! You can buy Angelfall at Amazon or Barnes & Noble and tomorrow, author Susan Ee will be giving away a copy of Angelfall on The Happy Booker so be sure to stop back!

Guest Post & Giveaway- 2011 Favorites by Maja from The Nocturnal Library

noreply@blogger.com (The Happy Booker) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0000

One of the things that I have truly enjoyed about this feature is the amazing guest posts by some of my favorite book bloggers, Goodreads reviewers, and authors. Today’s guest post is by Maja from The Nocturnal Library, another of my favorite reviewers! This blogger/reviewer’s incredibly insightful reviews are responsible for a very large percentage of my 2011 book purchases and my 2012 wishlist! I was ecstatic that she agreed to share with The Happy Booker readers a list of her favorite reads from this year! Welcome to The Happy Booker Maja!

Make sure you check out Maja and Lisa’s awesome reviews at The Nocturnal Library!!

Maja's 2011 Favorites

When Donna approached me about writing this post, I was really flattered, of course, but also a little frightened. 2011 was a really good year for me, full of amazing new releases, and some old ones I just discovered. To choose my favorites among them seemed like a really big responsibility at the time, but I ended up enjoying the process more than I ever thought I would. I did my best to make them as different as possible. I included one romance, only one dystopia (Phew! That was a tough choice.), one YA fantasy, one adult zombie novel, one YA contemporary, and some other books I simply couldn’t leave out. So without further ado, here are the choices I’ve made:

THE SCORPIO RACES by Maggie Stiefvater: Maggie Stiefvater just never fails to amaze me. I am a huge fan of The Wolves of Mercy Falls, but I feel like she did an even better job with her latest novel. This story about the capaill uisce, bloodthirsty water horses on a small, fictional island Tisby, offers everything that Stiefvater does best: it is highly descriptive, heavily atmospheric and emotionally challenging. I admit that this story requires a certain amount of patience, which is why I’ve read many complaints about the pacing, but I truly enjoyed reading about the small island issues and mentality. If I were forced to choose my favorite 2011 release (and, thankfully, I’m not), The Scorpio Races would probably be it.

BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY by Ruta Sepetys educated me about the horrors Lithuanian people endured during Stalin’s reign of terror. Masterfully told, the story gives voice to those who had none for the longest time, and probably still don’t. Of the 300 books I’ve read this year, Between Shades of Gray is the one I’m most grateful for, and the one I’m least likely to ever forget. Please read this book, and please have your children read it. I promise you won’t regret it.

FLAT-OUT LOVE by Jessica Park: The most important shelf on my Goodreads page is my ‘books that changed me’ shelf. I think very hard about the books I put there because I feel that they represent who I am and what I stand for. I never expected to add a self-published romance novel, but Flat-Out Love deserved its spot. Park’s novel is sweet and funny at times, heartbreaking at others, but altogether amazing and entirely unforgettable. As a dedicated reader, I don't think I've ever connected to a story quite that much, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

DEADLINE by Mira Grant:
I could probably write my own novel about all the things I love in The Newsflesh trilogy. To be perfectly honest, I was terrified of reading Deadline. In my eyes, Seanan McGuire achieved perfection with the heartwrenching Feed and I never thought she could do it twice in a row. As it happens, I was wrong. Never before have I been so genuinely afraid of what an author might do. Grant made me care for her characters, and then she planted the fear for them deep in my bones. At this point, I have no idea what to expect. To dismiss these books because they are labeled as zombie fiction would be a horrible mistake. They are, in fact, so much more.

BROOKLYN, BURNING by Steve Brezenoff: What is it about books that deal with gender identity and sexual orientation issues that makes people run the other way? That’s exactly the kind of thing young adult literature should be about! After the amazing Suicide Notes by Michael Thomas Ford, Steve Brezenoff approached the subject many authors wouldn’t dare touch, and he did it in an honest but subtle way. I’m sorry this book didn’t get more attention, but that can still change. It’s a story for anyone who’s ever struggled with the feeling of not belonging.

ENCLAVE by Ann Aguirre: Aguirre is definitely one of my favorite urban fantasy authors, but I must say that I’m thrilled with how she writes young adult dystopian fiction. The story is strong, the characters are very much alive, and the writing is close to perfect. Aguirre did extensive research and built a world I can easily believe. Enclave is the first book in her Razorland series – hurry up and read it before the release of Outpost. Of all the 2011 dystopias, it is by far my favorite.

Other than the books I’ve already mentioned, here are a few more I just had to recommend to you guys:

Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson is a richly-but-unpretentiously written story about a girl with synesthesia, accused of murder and placed in a mental institution. Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris is a completely ridiculous, yet incredibly entertaining story about a school full of zombies. In As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott, Ava suffers from a complete memory loss. The novel is beautifully written and highly unusual. Jessica Martinez’s debut novel, Virtuosity, tells a story about a very talented and severely damaged Grammy Award winning violin soloist.

Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson is, as I called it in my review, deliciously shallow and extremely fun. I just adore stories about people with superpowers. A Long Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan is a science fiction novel about a girl suddenly awoken after spending more than 60 years in a stasis tube. Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey offers a new take on zombies and I thoroughly enjoyed Garvey’s beautiful writing.

I hope each of you will find at least something that sounds interesting here. It’s been such a great year. I can’t wait to start all over again. Happy reading, lovelies, and happy holidays!

Thanks so much Maja for stopping by The Happy Booker and sharing your list of 2011 favorites!!

Do you have any of her favorite books on your wishlist? Two lucky readers will have a chance to win one of Maja’s 2011 favorites!!

GIVEAWAY

This giveaway is INT. Book choices must be available at the Book Depository (INT) or Amazon.com (US)
Simply fill out the Rafflecopter form and leave a comment about which of Maja’s favorites you’d like to read!
Giveaway ends at Midnight on January 1, winners will be announced on January 2.
I will email the winners at the end of the giveaway to find out which book they will choose. Winners will have 48 hours to respond.
Extra entries for being a GFC follower of The Nocturnal Library and tweeting the giveaway!

Good Luck!

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Guest Post & Giveaway- Author Kendare Blake– A list of Good Holiday Stories

noreply@blogger.com (The Happy Booker) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0000

As you’ve heard me mention on The Happy Booker a time or 200, Anna Dressed in Blood is one of the most awesome books I have ever read! So imagine how thrilled I was when Anna’s brilliant author, Kendare Blake agreed to write a guest post for my Book Stars feature!! Not only that, but Kendare is also offering one super lucky reader a signed copy of Anna Dressed in Blood!! The details on how to win that will be at the bottom of the page. But first, check out some of the holiday stories that she loves best!

A List of Good Holiday Stories

Because I Guess I Shouldn’t Be Morbid In December

By Kendare Blake

I was all set to do my post about the best and worst Stephen King adaptations, but every time I tried, it just felt wrong. Because we’ve crossed over the Turkey Day threshold, and are now in the valley of spiced cider, sugar cookies, and evergreens. Talking about how CUJO didn’t do enough to humanize the rabid, demon-tinged man-killing St. Bernard didn’t feel…appropriate. So I’ll do it later.

In the meantime, here are a few holiday stories to enjoy (if you haven’t already). These are in no particular order. Except for number one. It’s totally number one.

The Christmas Toy

Yeah, it was a movie. But I read the book. So it counts.
This was about toys who come to life when you’re not in the room. The folks at Pixar were obviously big fans. Anyway, one of the toys, Rugby the tiger, was given as a Christmas present the year before. So he thinks he’s the Christmas Toy. He thinks he’s supposed to go under the tree and get unwrapped every year. And he’s pretty egotistical about it. He won’t listen to any of the other toys when they tell him he’s being an idiot, and his stubbornness results in the death of his best friend, Mew, the cat’s toy mouse. It’s quite heartbreaking.

The Velveteen Rabbit

We all know this one. Boy loves stuffed rabbit. Rabbit loves stuffed boy. Boy gets scarlet fever, or some other deadly dangerous old timey disease, and though the rabbit plays a part in nursing him back to health through constant support and affection, he winds up being declared an infectious, disgusting thing and winds up in the trash pile to probably be burned. As luck would have it, however, a fairy turns him into a real rabbit. So, real rabbit loves boy. Boy lives. The end. Unless Boy’s family is a hunting type of old timey family, in which case this story got a whole new dimension.

Stew, anyone?

Twas the Night Before Christmas

And all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even when I use nonsensical words like, “sash.” He threw up the sash. That always used to get me as a kid. What’s a sash? Why doesn’t anyone refer to a window that way any other time of year?

The Polar Express (the Number One)

Oh, it’s soooo good.
Ah, yes, the heartwarming story about the magical train that goes to the north pole every Christmas eve. This book is pure magic. Beautiful illustrations and a lyrical story. Chris Van Allsburg knows the way of the picture book. On one magical night, you laugh, you stand in awe, and you learn that magic fades as you get older until even if you’ve seen it for yourself you become so cynical that you can’t be made to hear the bells and believe. What? Was that not the point? I’m kidding obviously. Or mostly. I love this book.

Thanks to The Happy Booker for having me by this holiday season!

You’re so very welcome!! Thanks for stopping by Kendare and for the amazing giveaway too! As I said, one lucky winner will get a signed copy of Anna Dressed in Blood! Can’t wait for the giveaway and want a copy of Anna now? I don’t blame you!! You can purchase Anna at Amazon here, Barnes and Noble here and The Book Depository here.

Giveaway
US Only
To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form and leave a comment on this post about your favorite holiday reads, or just a comment or question for Kendare Blake.
Extra entries for commenting on any other Book Stars of 2011 post and tweeting the giveaway! Giveaway ends at Midnight on January 1, 2012. Winner will be announced on January 2.

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