The Ink Puddle

Book Review: Tempted by P.C. and Kristin Cast

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 10:00:00 +0000

So…you’d think after banishing an immortal being and a fallen High Priestess, saving Stark’s life, biting Heath, getting a headache from Erik, and almost dying, Zoey Redbird would catch a break. Sadly, a break is not in the House of Night school forecast for the High Priestess in training and her gang. Juggling three guys is anything but a stress reliever, especially when one of them is a sexy Warrior who is so into protecting Zoey that he can sense her emotions. Speaking of stress, the dark force lurking in the tunnels under the Tulsa Depot is spreading, and Zoey is beginning to believe Stevie Rae could be responsible for a lot more than a group of misfit red fledglings. Aphrodite’s visions warn Zoey to stay away from Kalona and his dark allure, but they also show that it is Zoey who has the power to stop the evil immortal. Soon it becomes obvious that Zoey has no choice: if she doesn’t go to Kalona he will exact a fiery vengeance on those closest to her. Will Zoey have the courage to chance losing her life, her heart, and her soul? Find out in the next spectacular installment in the House of Night Series, Tempted.

You would think that guy drama could wait after banishing pure evil from Tulsa. But for Zoey Redbird that seems to be an impossible thing. Stark is practically dead, Erik is a jealous jerk, and Heath is Heath. Plus Stevie Rae is definatly hiding something dark, as Aphrodite keeps reminding Zoey. Sleep is the perfect escape? No. Kalona has managed to find his way in to Zoey's sleep and his manipulation is the final straw. Tempted is the most nerve wrecking House of Night yet and will leave you heart broken and dying for the next book.

Finally, Zoey broke up with Erik. For someone that sounded so sweet, smart, mature, and hot in the first two books he turned out to really not me. Erik is self centered. Don't get me wrong most young people are in the real world but he's like the super hot guy that we all went to high school with that pouted if he didn't get a cookie for every single thing that he does. And when things don't go his way he gets worse. Erik started out as a sweet guy but as soon as he and Zoey got back together he became this possessive jerk. All of that being said, his character has a lot of room to grow and a lot of directions to go in which is awesome.

Although Kalona is the bad guy, I like that we get a little insight into him. The whole time that he's interacting with Zoey you know that he's full of crap and you know that she's going to fall for it and you can't stop reading. In the other two books you don't really know who Kalona is or anything about him other than he is a fallen warrior. You find out in this book a bit more about him. He's honest with Zoey but not about his intentions or anything that hadn't happened in this century.

I love that the nerd herd gets to go some place else for a book besides the Tulsa House of Night. And what better place to visit than a Mediterranean Island with the Vampire High Consul. Reading about the Vampire High Consul was also torture. You would think that vampires that were so old and powerful enough to be apart of something called the Vampire High Consul would be smart enough to see through Neferet's games but the verdict is still out about that.

The fact that Aphrodite and Stevie Rae are imprinted is just hilarious. Aphrodite is so defensive about it. The fact that Heath is in this book a lot is great. You don't really get a since of he Heath is until Tempted and I have to say I LOVE him. He's just a good guy. The new humanity intact Stark is pretty fabulous as well.

The House of Night Series is written by P.C. and Kristen Cast. P.C. cast has written several series and she has receive several awards for them. Kristin Cast is P.C.’s daughter and has wrote a few other series herself. She currently goes to college in Oklahoma, where they both live. To learn more visit www.pccast.net.

Review: Once by Dana Michelle Burnett

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Neace) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Beautiful. Secretive. Magical. You envy their freedom, but you are distrustful of their ways. A strange carnival has come to Corydon, Indiana and the Irish Travellers have captured the small town's attention--but it's Harmony who's attracted theirs.

Harmony sees the Travellers everywhere and just like everyone else in town she's curious. But once she meets the mysterious and captivating Kieran, Harmony's life takes an exciting and chilling turn.

Up until now, Harmony never believed that fairy tales or myths were real, but Kieran and his family belong to an ancient tribe called the Tuatha de Danann and someone else has discovered their secret.

An ancient battle is about to begin again, and now no one is safe, especially Harmony. Can Kieran resist the urge to be with her or will his feelings put her in the crossfire?

Harmony Jacobson is just a normal girl, living a small town life in Corydon, Indiana. After the death of her grandmother, she is forced to put aside her dreams of the future in order to take over managing the family feed store. She does her best to make ends meet as she struggles through the monotony of her boring life. But that all changes when the Irish Travellers come to town with their Carnival of Wonders. The newcomers spark the interest of the entire town, including Harmony. But the one who's caught her attention the most is the handsome and secretive Kieran. They are both instantly drawn to each other, but it isn't long before Harmony discovers Kieran's big secret: He's a member of an ancient - and mythical - tribe known as the Tuatha de Danann. When the wrong people discover this secret too, will Kieran be able to save Harmony from getting caught in the middle of the ancient battle between his tribe and the humans who want to destroy them? Once is the first book in Dana Michelle Burnett's new Gypsy Fairy Tale series.

I've been a fan of Dana Michelle Burnett since I first read Spiritus, the first book in her Spiritus series. So when I heard that she was coming out with a new book, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. And, just like the series before it, Once definitely did not disappoint. I finished the book in only a few days and it immediately left me wanting to read the next book in this new series. Needless to say, I really enjoyed this book. One of the things that I really liked about it was the character of Kieran. While he is similar to the main male character in Burnett's Spiritus series, what I loved about him was that he wasn't an exact copy of that other character. He has his own personality and its one that completely draws the reader in. I automatically wanted to know more about him after he was first introduced.

Another thing I liked about the book had to do with Kieran, as well. More specifically, I liked that Kieran ended up belonging to the Tuatha de Danann. I've read a few books that focus on this particular tribe as parts of their main storyline. So, when I saw a name that I recognized, I was immediately intrigued and that was something that helped me to keep reading. I'm excited to see where Burnett will take it and I'm also interested to see how her depiction of the Tuatha de Danann will differ from other books that I've read.

Finally, I really enjoyed the relationship between Harmony and Kieran. It was very obvious from the first page that these two shared some kind of connection, some instant chemistry. By the end of the book, they became one of those couples that you instantly begin rooting for, even though you've only "known" them for a short time. I'm eager to see where this relationship goes and what will happen to them as the series progresses. The only thing that I didn't care for about Once was that it felt like all the action in the story happened in the last quarter of the book. While this wasn't something that made me put the book down without finishing it, I still hope it's something that will get better as the series unfolds.

I rate this book:

Once is the first in what promises to be an exciting new series from the mind of Dana Michelle Burnett. If you like fantasy novels that center around fairy tales and mythological creatures, then you should definitely check this book out. If you're anything like me, you won't be disappointed. And if you're looking for more of a paranormal story, be sure to check out the Spiritus series by this author.

Dana Michelle Burnett spent most of her life writing short stories and sharing them with family and friends. Over the years, her work was published in numerous commercial and literary magazines including Just Labs, Mindprints: A Literary Journal, Foliate Oak, and many more. Her short story "John Lennon and the Chicken Holocaust" was include in The Best of Foliate Oak 2006.

Dana Michelle's Spiritus series introduced the idea of a ghostly romance and became a Kindle bestselling series. She's an avid reader of anything dark and romantic. Dana Michelle lives in Southern Indiana with her dancing diva daughter and an assortment of pets. Her site, DanaMichelleBurnett.com, has more information about upcoming projects and appearances, or you can also check her out on Facebook.

Book Review: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

THE INFERNAL DEVICES WILL NEVER STOP COMING

A net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. Mortmain plans to use his Infernal Devices, an army of pitiless automatons, to destroy the Shadowhunters. He needs only one last item to complete his plan: he needs Tessa Gray.

Charlotte Branwell, head of the London Institute, is desperate to find Mortmain before he strikes. But when Mortmain abducts Tessa, the boys who lay equal claim to her heart, Jem and Will, will do anything to save her. For though Tessa and Jem are now engaged, Will is as much in love with her as ever.

As those who love Tessa rally to rescue her from Mortmain’s clutches, Tessa realizes that the only person who can save her is herself. But can a single girl, even one who can command the power of angels, face down an entire army?

Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment, and the tangled threads of love and loss intertwine as the Shadowhunters are pushed to the very brink of destruction in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.

Be sure not to miss the special first edition of Clockwork Princess, complete with an exclusive family tree.

-barnesandnoble.com

Clockwork Princess takes place not too long after Clockwork Prince. Mortmain has disappeared with little to know hope in finding him. Jessamine was their only shot and she has seemed to have lost her mind and keeps babbling something about Idris. Ever since Will found
out about Tessa and Jem's engagement he has completely avoided her and since Cecily won't go home he has taken up the task of training her to be a Shadowhunter. When Gabriel Lightwood show's up at the institute covered in blood they find that Benedict Lightwood has reached the final stage of demon pox and they are forced to slay him. But what they find within the Lightwood libriary is much more disturbing. "THE INFERNAL DEVICES ARE WITHOUT PITY, THE INFERNAL DEVICES ARE WITHOUT REGRET, THE INFERNAL DEVICES ARE WITHOUT NUMBER, THE INFERNAL DEVICES WILL NEVER STOP COMING". Mortmain may be gone but he is definatly not finished with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. He has bought and block all trasnport of yin fen to London and without it or a cure Jem with die very soon. Clockwork Princess is the most heartbreaking, beautiful, action packed story that I have read in a long time. Unlike some series where the first book is the best that the series ever produces this triology has kept getting better with each book. I'm not big on love stories or love triangles for that matter (I feel like they have been over done lately) but I absolutely loved this one. It will go down on my list as one of the greatest competable with that of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth.

Jem is the most kind, selfless person real or fiction, dead or alive that has ever been. While I knew that to some degree in the first too book, I didn't realize the full capacity of it until CP2. For this reason I think that everyone should read this books if only to have something to strive for in day to day life.

Gabriel Lightwood was an interesting character to follow in CP2. While Gideon evolve in the last book it was Gabriel that changed the most in this one. In the previous two books you only know Gabriel to be Will's greatest enemy (besides himself) and blindly loyal to his father. But in CP2 Gabriel is a tormented character. Should he be the son his father raised him to be or the Shadowhunter that the world needs him to be? The dynamics between him and Gideon have changed as well. A part of him still feels betrayed by Gideon for leaving him and his father for the London Institute.

Will's sister that arrived at the end of CP may have became one of my favorite characters if the three main ones did not manage to outshine her so much in this last book. She is brave, determined, and loving in all of the right times. She manages to "ruffle Will's feathers unlike anyone else" and captures Gabriel's attention unlike anyone ever has. Although this wasn't her story I would like to have gotten to know her character better.

Will is someone that he wasn't in the last two books. His curse was broken. Almost as if by coincidence as Jem is dying he is able to let other people in. Don't get me wrong he is still his hilarious, witty self. But the motives behind his actions are no longer the same because he know longer has to fear that those that love him will die. You see a loving side of him that was only ever shown towards Jem. He is surprisingly fearously protective of Cecily which makes for funny situations at the least. The biggest part of this book is that he can't keep a lid on his feelings for Tessa.

Cassandra Clare is the bestselling author of The Mortal Instruments and Infernal Device series. She is currently working on a new middle grade series with Holly Black and will also have yet another Shadowhunter series, The Dark Artifacts, in the not soon enough future. TMI City of Bones will hit the big screen this coming August.

PS sorry for the delayed review. I thought the book came out on the 29th not the 19th.

Mainstream Monday: Trylle Movie News!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Happy news everyone!!

I'm taking a break from my insane wedding planning to share what came across my news feed late last week.

Terri Tatchell (District 9) is aiming to make The Trylle Trillogy her next movie project!

Just like the rest of us, Terri says that when she read the Trylle books, the images were so beautiful and vivid that this story HAS to be made into a film for the big screen. You can see the full article here.

Amanda Hocking seems to think that Terri is the best fit for this project and knowing her history as a (as Terri put it) "movie buff", I trust her judgement. If you want to see Amanda's article about her thoughts with the project, click here. Media Rights Capitol officially has the rights to the book and Terri is working on a layout for the screenplay. They hope to begin filming this fall. However, a director has not been chosen and no actors have been selected.

Of course, like any project, this could fall through. But we at The Ink Puddle are pumped for the opportunity Amanda has been presented with no matter what happens.

We want to know what you think! Are you excited? Who are some of your celebrity choices when it comes to Finn, Loki and of course, Wendy? Stay tuned because we'll announce our favorites for the part next Monday!

Book Review: Hunted By P.C. and Kristin Cast

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

What if the hottest guy in the world was hiding a nameless evil, and all he wanted was you?

At the start of this heart-pounding new installment of the bestselling House of Night series, Zoey’s friends have her back again and Stevie Rae and the red fledglings aren’t Neferet’s secrets any longer. But an unexpected danger has emerged. Neferet guards her powerful new consort, Kalona, and no one at the House of Night seems to understand the threat he poses. Kalona looks gorgeous, and he has the House of Night under his spell. A past life holds the key to breaking his rapidly spreading influence, but what if this past life shows Zoey secrets she doesn’t want to hear and truths she can’t face?

On the run and holed up in Tulsa’s Prohibition-era tunnels, Zoey and her gang must discover a way to deal with something that might bring them all down. Meanwhile, Zoey has a few other little problems. The red fledglings have cleaned up well – they’ve even managed to make the dark, creepy tunnels feel more like home – but are they really as friendly as they seem? On the boyfriend front, Zoey has a chance to make things right with super-hot ex-, Erik, but she can’t stop thinking about Stark, the archer who died in her arms after one unforgettable night, and she is driven to try to save him from Neferet’s sinister influence at all costs. Will anyone believe the power evil has to hide among us?

-barnesandnoble.com

The nerd herd and red fledglings barely escaped Neferet's wrath and Kalona's spell. Stevie Rae has a bowe in her chest and Stark has come back as a red fledgling minus the humanity. The Raven Mockers have killed several of the Tulsa humans. Thank goodness Zoey has zero guy problems at this point. Wrong. Just when her and super hottie Erik are getting back together, Heath shows up at the depot and causing a jealous guy show down. When Zoey manages to break them up and walk Heath to the car she is attacked by a raven mocker and is so injured they have to go back to the House of Night. Let's just say the welcome back wasn't warm. Hidden has a new danger that the other House of Night books had yet to touch on. It contains secrets, new relationships, action, love, and good vs evil that will leave you wanting more.

What I really like about this book is Stark. Yes he lost his humanity and is an ass. But when you see him with Zoey you see a spark of who he used to be. My favorite parts of the book that I like the most are the ones that contained Stark.

Darius is kind of awesome. He puts up with and seems to love Aphrodite. He always seems so serious and put together and basically saves the day every time. He is strong enough to stand up to Kalona and Neferet and sticks to his guns.

There is some new found tension that wasn't there before between Stevie Rae and Zoey. Stevie Rae is better but you can't go through what she has without being different. The fact that Stevie Rae is trying so hard to hide that she is a different person puts a wedge between her and Zoey. Without her best friend Zoey and Aphrodite become close because Aphodite is her only confident and actually becomes a great friend.

Heath plays a bigger role in this book as well. In the other books he just the guy that Zoey was with as a human and she imprinted with. In this book you see him as more than a not so smart football player that is borderline stalker. He has depth and is really sweet and caring and while some may see him as a lapdog of a boyfriend his character really steps it up in this book.

The House of Night Series is written by P.C. and Kristen Cast. P.C. cast has written several series and she has received several awards for them. Kristin Cast is P.C.’s daughter and has written a few other series herself. She currently goes to college in Oklahoma, where they both live. To learn more visit www.pccast.net.

Review: From Man to Man by David E.M. Emrys

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Neace) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 11:00:00 +0000

"Every man has a past, none more so than Draven Reinhardt. Abandoning his old life to settle down as a villager, he struggles to fit in, let alone hold down a job. When opportunity offers the much needed coin, Draven is torn between a promise and a purpose.

But, what’s one last job if you’ve already got blood on your hands?
‘From Man to Man’ is the story of how one man can change – or not – for the best. Prequel to the upcoming novel ‘It Began With Ashes’, the short (6400 words) introduces the reader to a world of suspense, intrigue, and action."

Draven has traded in his life as a mercenary for the life of a villager for the sake of his wife and son. But he seems to be having quite a time adjusting to his new life. Constantly getting in fights and losing his job, it's clear that he needs to do something in order to support his family. So, when an opportunity arises that offers the money that he so desperately needs, Draven must decide which choice is the best one for him and his family, even if that choice means going back on a promise. From Man to Man is the short prequel to David E.M. Emrys's Wroge Elements series.

I have to say, I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick and simple read, which is always something I like, especially when I'm busy with schoolwork. I liked that the reader was able to see things from Draven's perspective. In my opinion, it made the story feel more realistic, even though it was set in a fictional village. It helped me feel like I was actually right there with Draven throughout all of the action of the story.

Another thing that I really liked about this story was the world that the author created. From the very first page, it was obvious that the story was set in a fictional world. And that's always fun for me, because it clearly shows the author's ability to weave a web of intrigue and imagery for readers. This story was no exception. It kept me interested from the very first description of the village where Draven lived and I was hooked until the end.

I also enjoyed how well-developed Draven was as a character. It's evident from the beginning that he has a secret past that he doesn't want to talk about. Yet, gradually throughout the story, the reader is given enough details to understand some of his background, as well as the kind of person he is. This went a long way to increase my interest in the story itself. Draven was such a strong character, that he made me want to keep reading. If I had to name something that I didn't particularly care for about this story, it'd have to be that it was so short. I got to the end and wanted to read more. So, I guess it's a good thing that there's another novel available.

I rate this book:

Like I said, I really enjoyed reading this story. It was quick, simple, and very intriguing. If you like stories with action, mystery, and well-developed characters, then you should definitely check out From Man to Man. It's a perfect prequel to Emrys's Wroge Elements series. And if you find that you enjoy From Man to Man, then be sure to check out the first novel in the series, It Began With Ashes. I know I will be.

David Emrys, known as D to his friends, is a serving soldier and author. He has clearance to know more than he should, but not the sense to know better. Leaving education with no more than a fifteen year old's understanding of English Literature, D’s storytelling craft is self-taught. Growing up with the heroic tales written by authors such as David Gemmell and James Barclay, D was inspired to write stories of his own. After joining the army D used his free time to focus on his dream of sharing shelf-space with his idols. D testifies to the fact that the pen is indeed mightier than the sword – but swords make for better letter-openers. He lives where the army send him, but home is in Chelmsford with his girlfriend. They say that behind every great man there is a woman pulling the strings, but she lets him dance to his own song whilst being the perfect partner in step. D claims that his books would not have been written without her. David Emrys is not his real name. Nor is D.

Guest Post: David E.M. Emrys

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Neace) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Hey everybody! We've got a guest post for you today from new author, David E.M. Emrys. David is the author of From Man to Man and It Began with Ashes. Everyone, please welcome David!

_______________

Can there be such a thing as too much fantasy?

Is the fantasy world over-populated? It’s a valid question and one that keeps raising its ugly head in the current era of ‘Lord of the Authors: The Fellowship of the Fantasy’.

Without battling out the topic of Indie vs Traditional, I want to take a moment and talk about fantasy worlds. A simple blog post can’t cover every single fantasy tome to have ever graced a book shelf (or a digital market place like Amazon, for all you e-publishing gurus), but we can highlight a few.

J.R.R. Tolkien with his elves, and his dwarves, his hobbits with their hairy feet, and his trolls. Ringwraiths, a dark lord, and a powerful artefact that is a curse to all those who bear it.

George R.R. Martin with his thrones, and his games, the squabbles of men, and the treachery, futility and thick-fast plots (oh, and if you’ve watched the tv adaptation, there’s a fair share of boobage, too).

Peter V Brett – demons galore! How ‘man’ (and woman!) can overcome their fears for what they believe is right.

Mark Lawrence explores the moral depravity of a Prince who won’t let anything – or anyone – stand in his way, even if that involves burning the world just to keep warm.

Michael J Sullivan brings bromance to the fold (Webster’s unofficial definition of bromance: bro-mance, a combination of brother and romance, meaning ‘a brotherly romance’ between two males. Often seen sharing large quantities of bruises, beauties, and beatings) with a healthy dose of death-defying escapades and swashbuckling adventures.

John Gwynne breaths fresh life into the folklore and legend side of fantasy, giving Giants, Wyrms and even Angels a gritty new lease with a Nordic/Celtic feel.

Brent Weeks forefronts assassins in one, and mages in another, but above all else they struggle with their own powers for further means.

Brandon Sanderson…magic, need I say more? But then again, his world-building is second to none.

Joe Abercrombie touts more knives than any sane man should ever need, but lucky for us not all of his characters can be deemed sane enough to count or care for that matter. But when all is said and done, it’s down to being what you’re meant to be, and (as he often states by way of infamous barbarian Logen NineFingers) once you've got a task to do, it's better to do it than live with the fear of it.

I’ve barely even touched the surface here. I could go on for hours. James Barclay, David Gemmell (big daddy of British heroic-fantasy), Robert E Howard, Patrick Rothfuss, Robert Jordan, David Dalglish, Mazarkis Williams, Moses Sirergar III, Ben Galley, Steven Erikson, Christopher Paolini…ok, ok – I’ll stop.

So, fantasy is a busy world(s). But each and every one of them is different. Yes, a lot of them share themes or creatures (elves, dragons, hobbits, dwarves, damsels in distress…hobbits, or other creatures with hairy feet?), but would you really say: ‘No more’! Heck, I’m sure if you asked a lot of these authors they’d admit to being inspired by one another. Of course they would.

Ok, let’s imagine if someone said ‘No more’ to Robert Jordan. Would we have the Peter V Brett’s, and Christopher Paolini’s of today? ‘Put that pen down’ David Gemmell…and voila, no John Gwynne’s or James Barclay. How many would we lose if Robert E. Howard had run out of ink on the first page, and Conan had been lost to an unfinished sentence?

IMAGINE THE CHAOS if someone told J.R.R. Tolkien to shave his hobbit and write a romcom. Think of the children, pray for their futures!

Publishing is an ever changing industry, and fantasy is an ever changing realm of possibilities. If you’re Indie or Traditional, reader or writer…could you really say NO to one last fantasy? And before you start culling dwarves, shaving hobbit feet, or cashing in dragon fangs for the last copy of ’50 Shades of Grey’ from Amazon…just remember:

A Fantasy author isn’t just for Christmas. They’re for life.

(And even then, they’ll think of a way to come back and haunt you from the afterlife – they’re fantasy authors after all).

D. E. M. Emrys. Author. Soldier by day, Soldier by night - Writer in between. Knows war to write war.

Growing up with the heroic tales written by authors such as David Gemmell and James Barclay, D was inspired to write stories of his own. After joining the army D used his free time to focus on his dream of sharing shelf-space with his idols.

D testifies to the fact that the pen is indeed mightier than the sword – but swords make for better letter-openers. He lives where the army send him, but home is in Chelmsford with his girlfriend. They say that behind every great man there is a woman pulling the strings, but she lets him dance to his own song whilst being the perfect partner in step. D claims that his books would not have been written without her.

David Emrys is not his real name.

Nor is D.

_______________

Thanks so much for that, David! You guys should be sure to check out David's books; the links are below for you. And be on the lookout for a review of Emrys's From Man to Man later this week.

Published Works:

'From Man to Man'

Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/From-Man-Wroge-Elements-ebook/dp/B009QY4EAS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350387280&sr=8-1&keywords=d.+e.+m.+emrys

Amazon.co.uk http://www.amazon.co.uk/From-Man-Wroge-Elements-ebook/dp/B009QY4EAS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361318621&sr=8-1

'It Began With Ashes'

Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Began-Ashes-Wroge-Elements-ebook/dp/B00ACLW7TO/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_2

Amazon.co.uk http://www.amazon.co.uk/Began-Ashes-Wroge-Elements-ebook/dp/B00ACLW7TO/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1360708069&sr=1-2

Mainstream Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Happy Mainstream Monday!!! There has been a LOT of news in the mainstream story world the past few weeks.

Julie Kagawa, author of the Iron Fey and Book of Eden series, sign a six digit contract with Harlequin for a series that isn't set to come out until 2015. All that has been released about the series is that there are supposed to be five books. But that isn't all of the news. Universal has already snatched up the books, all five, to be made into movies or a series. I am a huge Julie Kagawa fan and although as of now I would love to see the Iron Fey be made into a movie I'm excited to check out these new books and definitely excited for another book series to look forward to.

With Harry Potter's 15th aniversary coming up Scholastic announced that they will be rolling out a new shipment of covers for all of the books in paperback. Illustator, Kazu Kibuishi, will be doing the covers. Each cover will be a scene fromteh book and the characters in the that particular scene. The imagery for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone has already be released. The Harry Potter books are the reason I love to read. Until I started reading those, reading was a chore and a struggle so these books are near and dear to my heart. I part of me hates the idea of the covers being redone and a part of me is planning on running out and buying them all.

Divergent, by the young and talent Veronica Roth, is also in the long process of coming to the big screen. The only character currently cast is Shailene Woodley as Tris. You may know Shailene from Secret Life of the American Teenager or The Descendents. The movie rights were taken by Summit Entertainment in March 2011 and the movie is currently set to release on March 21, 2013. The screen writer is Evan Daugherty, who is best known for his work on Snow White and the Huntsman. A lot of people are probably going to say, "Oh it's another Hunger Games" but for these books blew the Hunger Games Triology right out of the water. The second Hunger Games book, Catching Fire, was basically the same as the first and then the third one completely flopped for me. I'm a rereader but that is one series I probably won't reread. While all of the Divergent books are out yet so far so good. The second one was just a killer as the first. The third book, that's title and cover have not been released yet, is set to come out October 22, 2013.

The information found for todays post is from IMDB, MTV's website, and USA Today.

Review: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Neace) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 11:00:00 +0000

"There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything."

Gatlin is just a normal Southern town. Small, rural, and quiet. Nothing interesting happens in Gatlin, South Carolina. That is, not until Lena Duchannes arrived in town. Beautiful, smart, and dangerous, Lena carries a secret that she is trying desperately to keep hidden from the narrow-minded townspeople. But there's one person in town that she can't hide anything from - someone who shares a mysterious connection to her. Ethan Wate is drawn to Lena, the girl he's been having dreams about night after night before she ever set foot in Gatlin. Surprises are coming to Gatlin on Lena's heels. Surprises that could very well turn the town on its head. Beautiful Creatures is the first novel in the Caster Chronicles by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. And it's sure to leave you on the edge of your seat, from beginning to end.

I picked this book up after seeing the trailer for the new movie adaptation a few times. And I could not put it down once I started reading it. The authors have done a fantastic job of weaving a story of love, loss, and magic that is simply breathtaking. I loved how vivid and descriptive they were throughout the entire novel. Every single detail made me feel like I was right there in Gatlin County with Lena and Ethan every step of the way. That feeling of everything being so very real is something that really made me want to keep reading.

I also really enjoyed the fact that the reader is able to see everything from Ethan's point of view. Because he is the narrator of the story, we are able to experience things as they happen for him and Lena throughout the entire novel. We share his thoughts, his feelings, and get to see his actions firsthand, which only adds to the realness of the story. And, considering he's a mortal who has been immersed into the magical world of a Caster family, it's almost as if Ethan serves as our guide to the strangeness that surrounds Lena and her family.

Another thing that I really, really liked about this book was the relationship between Ethan and Lena. These characters are so well-developed that it's difficult not to see them as real people while reading. And, since you guys know I'm a sucker for romance, it should come as no surprise that I was rooting for them as a couple from the very beginning. The authors did a flawless job with the characters of Ethan and Lena, and developed their forbidden relationship in such a phenomenal way that it kept me intrigued throughout the entire book.

I rate this book:

If you haven't read Beautiful Creatures, I seriously recommend that you pick it up as soon as you can. It's an amazing and quick read that is sure to please all types of readers. And the best part: It's been made into a movie that just came out yesterday! So grab a copy of the book and be sure to check the movie out, too. I know I'll be headed to the movie theater in the very near future. Will you?

Margaret Stohl is the author of the ICONS series, as well as the New York Times, USA Today, Publisher's Weekly, Los Angeles Times, Indie-Bound and Internationally Bestselling co-author of the Beautiful Creatures Novels. She is a graduate of Amherst College, where she won the Knox Prize for English Literature and earned a MA in English from Stanford University. She also completed classwork for a PhD in American Studies from Yale University.

Kami Garcia is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly & international bestselling co-author of the Beautiful Creatures Novels (Beautiful Creatures, Beautiful Darkness, Beautiful Chaos & Beautiful Redemption). She is also the author of Unbreakable, the first book her solo series, THE LEGION. Kami grew up outside of Washington DC, wore lots of black, and spent hours writing poetry in spiral notebooks. She has an MA in education, and taught in the Washington DC area until she moved to Los Angeles, where she was a teacher & Reading Specialist for 14 years. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, son, daughter, and their dogs Spike and Oz (named after characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

Mainstream Monday: Beautiful Creatures

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Happy Mainstream Monday! As many of us know on Valentine's Day the movie adaptation of the southern gothic YA novel Beautiful Creatures hits movie theaters. So whether you're spending Valentine's Day with your love, hot fling, family, or pals, here is everything you need to know before Thursday (an excellent date idea btw ;]).

The movie Beautiful Creatures takes place in Gatlin, South Carolina and while you wouldn't think of it as a southern place compared to Louisiana or Texas, in the movie it very much is. It's a small town full of Republican church goers that are portrayed to be very hateful and narrow minded. That is except for Ethan Wate who wants nothing more than to get out of Gatlin. He spends his time reading and dreaming of the all of the places he'd rather be. When a new girl joins his class at school things become a lot more interesting for him. Lena Duchannes comes from an old family from Gatlin but is the first in twenty years to join the town and go to school although there she isn't accepted by her peers. At school she is called a Satanist and kids don't even want to be in the same room as her. Except Ethan. He sees that Lena is different and that is exactly what draws him to her. When Ethan discovers that Lena is a Caster (witch) he becomes even more fascinated. But their relationship is far from easy for them. Besides the town of haters, her family doesn't approve of her being friends with a mortal much less dating one. Then there's this little thing where Lena's powers can be claimed for the light or the dark on her sixteenth birthday and some type of curse where it appears that the Duchanne women keep being claimed for the dark. On top of that Lena's mother, Sarafine, and cousin, Ridley, both seem to be pulling for her powers to be claimed by the dark while Macon Ravenwood, Lena's uncle, is hoping they are claimed for the light. This is a major deal considering that she may be the most power Caster the world has ever seen. No pressure or anything.

Lena Duchannes is played by Alice Englert, a New Zealand actress born to oscar winning director Jane Campion and film maker Colin Englert. She has only been in a handful of films starting in 2006 but it wasn't anything that I have ever heard of but with parents like that she's bound of have had plenty of unofficial practice growing up. Plus, we've all go to start somewhere right?

Alden Enrenreich will bring the beloved southern gentleman Ethan Wate to life. Alden currently goes to NYU, has had appearances on the hit shows Supernatural and CSI, and will star in Running Wild that comes out later this year.

While the movie has some new comers there are some major big name favorites that will bring the town of Gatlin to life. Jeremy Irons, an Oscar winner who does the voice of Scar in The Lion King and is in blockbusters such as Die Hard, Eragon, and The Man in the Iron Mask will be playing Macon Ravenwood. Viola Davis, who won a Tony award for her work in theater and was in movies such as The Help and Disturbia will play Amma, the keeper of information and secrets about being a Caster. Emmy Rossum, who is on the Showtime show Shameless, was in the movies The Day After Tomorrow, and The Phantom of the Opera, will portray Ridley Duchannes. British actress Emma Thompson, who played Professor Trelawney in the Harry Potter movies, did the voice of Elinor in Brave, and starred as Nanny McPhee in the 2005 adaptation will play Mrs. Lincoln a "bible thumpin" hater, as Emma calls her, as well as Sarafine, Lena's dark mother.

The screenplay writer and director is Richard LaGravenese who was the screenwriter for other big movies such as the tear jerker P.S. I Love You as well as A Little Princess and Water for Elephants. He has several popular movies under his belt so with those type of writing skills and the killer cast he has to work with, Beautiful Creatures may just be one of his best movies to date.

Is anyone planning on spending there Valentine's Day at the movies? I'm think this is going to be a girl's night movie more that a Valentine's day movie for myself. Although Harry Potter will always take the cake for my witch/wizard book and movie I am looking forward to seeing this one.

Review: Luathara by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Neace) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 11:00:00 +0000

**Spoiler Alert: If you haven't read the other books in the Otherworld trilogy, then you'll want to wait on this review.**

"Meghan Elam knows that she belongs in the Otherworld, but she doesn't know if she's quite ready to take that leap. With Cade on the mend and her mortal family aware of their daughter's true identity, everything seems lined up for her to make a smooth transition into her new life. Unfortunately, Meghan has a mortal enemy, an angry goddess who has not yet given up on her chance for revenge.

As Meghan struggles to find her place in Eile, secrets from a past she knows nothing about well up and threaten to tip the scales even further. And when the Morrigan vows to bring a war down upon the Otherworld, she finds herself stuck in the middle of an epic battle, one that promises to destroy all that she holds dear. In order to save the ones she loves the most, Meghan must be prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice and hope that she will be strong enough to vanquish her enemy once and for all."

Now that she's graduated high school, Meghan is free to live in Eile, the realm of the Otherworld where she was born. It's where she belongs, where she can learn more about her magic and how to use it. Unfortunately, it's also where a powerful goddess lives and wants to kill Meghan so that she can harness her magic and become more powerful than any other Otherworld god or goddess. Thankfully, Meghan's got a few friends - and even some family - who are willing to help protect her from the Morrigan. But will they be enough to rid the Otherworld of the Morrigan's evil once and for all? Luathara is the third and final installment in the Otherworld trilogy by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson.

Like the other two books in this series, I really enjoyed this book. I felt like it was a perfect way to wrap up the trilogy. Something that I fell in love with from the very beginning of the series was the relationship between Cade and Meghan. And this book didn't disappoint in that area at all. I loved how real the relationship felt while I was reading and I'm really glad that my favorite characters got a good ending.

While I still really enjoyed the way that Johnson incorporated ancient Celtic figures into her story, I think what I loved most about this book was the world that she built for this series. The Otherworld is meant to be this beautiful and magical place in the series. And, while I was reading, I could picture it in my head, thanks to the immense details that the author used to describe the scenery.

One thing I didn't really care for while reading this book is actually a problem I've had with the series from the beginning. That is the overabundance of internal dialogue that we are shown from Meghan. I'm all for seeing inside a character's head, but there comes a point where it begins to hinder my enjoyment of the book. Luckily, this wasn't enough to keep me from loving the book overall, it was a little annoying.

I rate this book:

If you haven't checked this series out, you have no idea what you're missing. The Otherworld trilogy is full of magic and romance, with a little bit of myth thrown in, too. You guys should definitely check it out. And, if you've already read Faelorehn and Dolmarehn, then it goes without saying that you should pick up Luathara as soon as you can. You won't be disappointed in this ending to the series.

Jenna Elizabeth Johnson grew up and still resides on the Central Coast of California, a place she finds as magical and enchanting as the worlds she creates. She received a BA in Art Practice with a minor in Celtic Studies from the University of California at Berkeley. It was during her time in college that she decided to begin her first novel, The Legend of Oescienne - The Finding. Reading such works as Beowulf, The Mabinogi, and The Second Battle of Maige Tuired in her Scandinavian and Celtic Studies courses finally inspired her to start writing down her own tales of adventure and fantasy. She also enjoys creating the many images and maps for her various worlds. Besides writing and drawing, she is often found reading, gardening, camping, hiking and bird watching. For more on the author and her books, and for contact information, visit www.oescienne.com or her blog www.jennaelizabethjohnson.com.

Review: Untamed by P.C. and Kristin Cast

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Life sucks when your friends are pissed at you. Just ask Zoey Redbird – she’s become an expert on suckiness. In one week she has gone from having three boyfriends to having none, and from having a close group of friends who trusted and supported her, to being an outcast. Speaking of friends, the only two Zoey has left are undead and unMarked. And Neferet has declared war on humans, which Zoey knows in her heart is wrong. But will anyone listen to her? Zoey's adventures at vampyre finishing school take a wild and dangerous turn as loyalties are tested, shocking true intentions come to light, and an ancient evil is awakened in PC and Kristin Cast's spellbinding fourth House of Night novel.

Zoey Redbird's life could not get much worse. Sure, they saved Stevie Rae's humanity but everyone is beyond pissed at her, Neferet has lost her mind and fallen off the path of the Goddess, and the only person she has to rely on is Aphrodite and she is no longer a fledgling. Aphrodite is now Nyx's human prophetests and her latest visions see Zoey dead. The only bright side is that her and Heath's imprint is broke and she now has zero boyfriends as opposed to the very confusing three boyfriends. When a new guy, Stark, shows up at the Tulsa House of Night, Zoey plans to steer clear, that is until he died in her arms after they had a deep and serious connection. But as we all no not all that die at this House of Night stay dead. So much for things being uncomplicated. Untamed is the fabulous fourth installment of the House of Night series that has magic, friendship, good vs evil, and uniqueness that will blow your mind away.

As a dog person I love that there is a dog at the House of Night that is so over flown with cats. Dutchess adds a friendlyness to the book that only dogs have in real life. Her love and loyalty for Stark is literally heart breaking and she is in some seriously funny parts of the book that literally had me laughing my butt off.

Aphrodite has been through some major changes throughout the series so far. She started out the 'hag from hell' we all loved to hate. But slowly, you begin to see behind her tough exterior and realize that she's actually kind of awesome. She is smart, smart assed, loyal, and strong. She is the only person that would help Zoey when everyone else abandoned her and she is the only person, besides Zoey, that Neferet can't read. She will fight tooth and nail for the people that she cares about.

There are several new characters in this book that are awesome. Particularly Darius, Stark, and Shekinah. Darius is a Son of Erebus warrior that we don't completely get to know yet but he's protective and smart and probably the only person, besides Zoey and Stevie Rae that actually likes Aphrodite. Stark is the new kid at the House of Night. Hot and Cocky but smart and sensitive he seems like an awesome guy. Plus he's a dog lover! He is also gifted by Nyx which is why Neferet seems so interested in him. Shekinah is the High Priestess of all High Priestesses. Her power is amazing, power, and even for the reader a bit fightening.

The House of Night books are in my top five favorite series of all books so far. Have any of you all read them? Got mad love for the House of Night vamps?

The House of Night Series is written by P.C. and Kristen Cast. P.C. cast has written several series and she has received several awards for them. Kristin Cast is P.C.’s daughter and has written a few other series herself. She currently goes to college in Oklahoma, where they both live. To learn more visit www.pccast.net.

Review: Incendiary by Amy A. Bartol

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Neace) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 11:00:00 +0000

**Spoiler Alert: If you haven't caught up with the other books in the Premonition series, then you may want to hold off on reading this review.**

"Cold, fine drops of rain fall softly on my cheeks as I emerge from the darkness of the ship’s interior to the gray, overcast sky of the main deck. Pulling my dark pea coat tighter to my body, the wind lifts red tendrils of my hair. I walk slowly to the railing overlooking the water.

I catch my first sight of the Irish coastline; its craggy landscape makes me shiver in dread. I find it difficult to imagine now how the Gancanagh had made this their home for so long without anyone realizing it. The cold, moss-covered edifices practically scream their presence. As I study the shadows between the falling-down stone, I imagine creeping shapes of undead Faeries grasping the rock, waiting for our ship to draw nearer to their position.

Tipping my face up, I let the rain wash over me. It bathes away the frigid sweat of fear that has broken on my brow. “You don’t know how fiercely beautiful you are, do you?” A quiet voice behind me asks, causing me to stiffen and fix my eyes on the rocks along the shoreline."

Once again, Evie and her friends are attempting to find a way to eradicate the Gancanagh while trying to keep Brennus from getting his hands on Evie. But this time, there are some new players to help Evie, Reed, and the gang, even though they want to control everything about the situation - including Evie herself. Can Evie and her friends manage to stop their enemy, while still keeping Evie safe from these newcomers? Incendiary is the fourth book in Amy Bartol's Premonition series.

As with the other three books in this series, I enjoyed the relationship between Reed and Evie, but this book provided another relationship that I grew to enjoy just as much as the main one. Russell meets a new character in this book who becomes very important to him. It was nice to finally see another character share a bond similar to the one that Evie shares with Reed in this series. Also, the familiarity of these characters will always be a plus for this series for me. I love how easy it is for me to relate to them while I'm reading.

Even though there were things that I liked about this book, Incendiary had a few things that I didn't particularly care for. For starters, I don't like that the plot in this book is the same that it's been for the past three books - trying to eliminate the Gancanagh and keep Evie from Brennus. After three books that have focused on this goal, I feel like it's time for the characters to move on to something new, and I'm hoping that they do in the next installment. This was something that nearly kept me from finishing Incendiary. I just felt like the plot was tired and it made me want to stop reading altogether. Another thing I didn't really enjoy was the fact that a new character was introduced in this book who is supposed to be Reed's rival for Evie. Like Russell, this new guy is connected to Evie's past - she just doesn't remember. What I don't like about this, aside from the fact that it's already been done in this series with Russell, is that it gives the impression that everyone is in love with Evie. This is something that really took away from my enjoyment of the book, too.

I rate this book:

I really wanted to like this book. And I'm still holding out hope for the next book in the series. But there were just too many things that bothered me and made me want to quit reading Incendiary. As always, please don't take my word for it. If you've read the other books in the Premonition series, then I still want to recommend that you keep reading. Hopefully, you like it better than I did. And, if you're like me, maybe the next one will make up for it.

Amy A. Bartol lives in Michigan with her husband and their two sons. Her family is very supportive of her writing. When she's writing, they often bring her the take-out menu so that she can call and order them dinner. They listen patiently when she talks about her characters like they're real. They rarely roll their eyes when she tells them she'll only be a second while she finishes writing a chapter...and then they take off their coats. They ask her how the story is going when she surfaces after living for hours in a world of her own making. They have learned to accept her "writing uniform," consisting of a slightly unflattering pink fleece jacket, t-shirt, and black yoga pants. And they smile at her nerdy bookishness whenever she tries to explain urban fantasy to them. In short, they get her, so they are perfect and she feels blessed. Check out her website: http://www.amyabartol.com.

Review: Dolmarehn by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Neace) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:00:00 +0000

**Spoiler Alert: If you haven't read Faelorehn yet, then you'll want to hold off on reading this review.**

"A year ago, Meghan Elam learned that she was Faelorehn, a being of the Otherworld. Immortal. Now she must juggle her life in the mortal world with the one she has started to build in the Otherworld. However, keeping her identity secret from her friends and family while trying to avoid a wrathful Celtic goddess is no easy task.

With the help of the intriguing Cade MacRoich, Meghan will learn that not only does she come from a place full of magic and wonder but that she, too, is far more powerful than she ever thought possible."

Meghan's had an interesting year, to say the very least/ She's discovered the answer to why she's been so different from everyone in her family all of her life -- Meghan's an immortal Faelorehn from the Otherworld. She's also just barely survived her confrontation the Morrigan, an ancient Celtic goddess who resides in the Otherworld and is bent on killing her and taking her magic from her. And, on top of all that, Meghan is struggling to deal with her growing feelings for Cade MacRoich, the young man who has not only given her the answers she so desperately desired, but has also protected her from the Morrigan's creatures for the past year. Throw in the fact that she's just starting her senior year of high school, and things couldn't get any more complicated for Meghan Elam - or so she thinks. Dolmarehn is the second book in Jenna Elizabeth Johnson's Otherworld trilogy and it, like the first book in the series, will leave you craving more of Meghan's story.

I rate this book:

Quite often, I will read the first book in a series and then have to put the series aside because the second book hasn't come out yet. As a result, I will usually forget about a series for a time while I wait for the next installment. This is exactly what happened with Johnson's Otherworld series. I read the first book, Faelorehn, and loved it, but I had to put the series aside as the second book wasn't even remotely close to coming out yet. More than six months later, I remembered the series and finally got my hands on Dolmarehn. And I'm so glad that I did. This book reminded me of everything that I loved about Faelorehn and made me just as eager to continue the story as I was before. I instantly fell back in love with the relationship between Cade and Meghan in this book. With this series, I quickly became invested in the lives of both Cade and Meghan; this left me rooting for them as though they were actual people, instead of just characters in a book.

Something else I really enjoyed in this book was Johnson's development of Meghan herself. It's always nice to see such a strong female character at the center of the story. It was also refreshing to watch Meghan transform into that strong character throughout the course of the plot in Dolmarehn. Seeing everything she's gone through in a year's time in the story, it was nice - and quite a relief - for her to be able to stand up against everything and come out stronger than ever. Not many authors are capable of developing their characters in such a way, but I think Johnson has done it quite well. I also loved Johnson's inclusion of several other Celtic gods and goddesses in Dolmarehn. In the world this author has created, the Otherworld is ruled by these ancient gods and goddesses whose histories are rooted in the legends of the ancient Celts of the mortal world. What I found so interesting about this particular aspect of the story was the fact that legends mentioned in Dolmarehn are ones that readers can look up on their own, to learn more about them. It's always refreshing, at least for me, when there's a bit of history tied in with the fiction.

While I genuinely enjoyed this book, there was one thing that I didn't particularly care for while I was reading it. As I said, Meghan really transformed into a strong character, but reading her thoughts while that transformation was taking place did tend to get a bit repetitive. The character would often cycle back to the same worries and fears multiple times throughout the novel, which got to be a bit painful to read after a while. Regardless, I wholeheartedly recommend this series to any and everyone who is willing to check it out. If you haven't yet read Faelorehn, then you should pick that one up first, obviously. If you're anything like me, that'll be all you need to convince you to continue the story with Dolmarehn.

Review: Indebted by Amy A. Bartol

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Neace) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 11:00:00 +0000

**Spoiler Alert: If you haven't read Intuition, then you may want to hold off on reading this review.**

"I hang my head in sorrow for just a moment when I know I am truly alone. I feel like I’m going to my execution, just as he had said. Then I move forward again. I hop a fence of fieldstone and cross a field dotted with Queen Anne’s lace. Goose bumps rise on my arms as I pass the cluster of windmills that I have seen in a dream. The scent is sweet in the field though, not the scent of heat, like it had been when it was forced upon me in visions. I gaze down the hill, beyond the small, whitewashed house that I knew would be there. The church looms dark and grim with its rough-hewn, timber façade, capped by tall, oblong spires reaching to the sky. Black, ominous clouds have collected above the roofline, as if Heaven is showing me the way."

Evie and her friends are on the run from Brennus, the leader of the Gancanagh who will do whatever it takes to secure her as his queen. Reed will do whatever necessary to keep that from happening - even if it means refusing to let Evie in on his plans to protect her from the beings who are pursuing her. But his actions soon cause Evie to make decisions that put her directly in harm's way so that she can protect the ones she loves. Now that she's been cut off from everyone she's tried to save, will she be able to survive in the strange environment of the Gancanagh long enough to make it back to the friends that have so quickly become her family? Indebted is the third book in Amy Bartol's Premonition series.

I was really excited to read this book, considering how much I enjoyed the first two books in the series. And, in some ways, this book didn't disappoint in that regard. Something I liked about this book was how familiar the characters had become to me throughout this series. They were a big part of what kept my interest in the story from dwindling. And I still enjoyed how Reed and Evie's relationship developed throughout the course of this book, too.

Even though I love the characters and I really loved the first two books in this series, Indebted didn't flow quite as well as the previous two books. The story itself felt rushed and scattered throughout much of the book. But, what really bothered me more than anything was the way that Evie would always do things to get herself in trouble. I felt like a lot of the problems she had, she brought on herself and it was something that really annoyed me while I was reading this book.

I rate this book:

As always, the reviews posted here are strictly the opinions of the reviewers. And we certainly don't want you guys to miss out on a book that you may actually enjoy solely because of the ratings that we give here. So, don't take my word about this book - check out this series, and see for yourself. After all, everyone has a different opinion when it comes to books. If you haven't yet read any of Amy Bartol's Premonition series, then you should pick up Inescapable first. If you've read the first two books, then be sure to check out Indebted. You may like it better than I did.

Amy A. Bartol lives in Michigan with her husband and their two sons. Her family is very supportive of her writing. When she's writing, they often bring her the take-out menu so that she can call and order them dinner. They listen patiently when she talks about her characters like they're real. They rarely roll their eyes when she tells them she'll only be a second while she finishes writing a chapter...and then they take off their coats. They ask her how the story is going when she surfaces after living for hours in a world of her own making. They have learned to accept her "writing uniform," consisting of a slightly unflattering pink fleece jacket, t-shirt, and black yoga pants. And they smile at her nerdy bookishness whenever she tries to explain urban fantasy to them. In short, they get her, so they are perfect and she feels blessed. Check out her website: http://www.amyabartol.com.

Mainstream Monday: 2012 Recap and 2013 Excitement

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Happy New Year's Eve readers! 2012 was a year full of great books and with 2013 just around the corner it looks like it could top the previous years.

Some 2012 favorites include:

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare
Insurgent by Victoria Roth
Dreamless by Josephine Angelini
The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa
Hidden by P.C. and Kristin Cast

Some books to look forward to in 2013:

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare. Oh MY GOD, the way Clockwork Prince ended, we need the third and final installment. It's a necessity.
Goddess by Josephine Angelini. There were so many lose ends and complete distruction left in Dreamless that this book is going to be great. Will Helen find out the truth about Lucas or who her dad is? Will they demigods stay demigods or are they destined to take the place of Zeus, Poesiden, and Hades? Will Helen choose Lucas or Orion? I CAN NOT WAIT TO FIND OUT!!
Angel Fever by L.A. Weatherly With pretty much every human brainwashed and the angels hunting them down, Willow and her friends will have a huge battle a head of them and at this point I'm really wondering if they'll make it out a live.
Avenger by Heather Burch The Gardians was some serious exciting new discovery smack down. Nikki is really a Halfling and she and Raven are both barely hanging on to the light. Is she going to be with Mace or Raven? Will she give in to the Darkness and get revenge on the people that took her entire life away and give Damon what he wants? This book is bond to be full of excitement.
Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris. The final installment of the Sookie Stackhouse series. I love these books other than Lafayette was killed off and I love his character in the show. These books remind me of summer and they are great easy reads. Also, who isn't dying to know if Sookie finally says hell with all of the supes and settles down with a semi normal guy. BTW this is my second favorite final book in a series title.

Do you guys have books that you're looking forward to this year? Any that you recommend from years previous? Have a HAPPY NEW YEAR READERS!

Review: Feyland: The Twilight Kingdom by Anthea Sharp

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Neace) — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 11:00:00 +0000

**Spoiler Alert: If you haven't read Feyland: The Bright Court yet, then you may want to wait to read this review.**

"THEIR LAST CHANCE...
Jennet Carter and Tam Linn are almost out of time. Feyland, the most immersive computer game ever designed, is about to be released into the world - along with the Realm of Faerie's dangerous magic.
WIN THE GAME...
The faeries, desperate to break free from their realm, have set treacherous plans in motion. Despite magical allies of their own, Jennet and Tam have no idea what dire threats await, both in-game and out.
OR DIE TRYING...
Battling for their lives against the united powers of the Dark Queen and Bright King, Jennet and Tam's quest to stop the fey takes them into the perilous Twilight Kingdom, where illusion reigns - and magic can break all the rules"

Jennet and Tam have got quite the mission on their hands. They only have a few weeks before VirtuMax releases their newest computer game, Feyland, to the world. But what the company doesn't know is that the game is actually being used by the Realm of Faerie as a gateway to the mortal world. As members of the beta-testing team for the game, Jennet and Tam must find a way to stop the gateway from being opened. And, as if they didn't have enough problems, it looks like the Dark and Bright courts of the Realm of Faerie have joined forces this time. Will they be able to stop the faeries from entering the mortal world and wreaking havoc? Feyland: The Twilight Kingdom is the third and final installment in the Feyland trilogy by Anthea Sharp.

I rate this book:

Just like the other books in this series, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book. And, as usual, the latest installment of Anthea Sharp's Feyland series did not disappoint. It had absolutely everything that made me fall in love with the series from the very beginning. I loved the imagery that was present throughout the entire book - it really helped to keep me interested from start to finish. The description used makes you feel like you're actually right there in the Realm of Faerie with Jennet and Tam.

I also really liked that the story had a few different levels to it. It wasn't just about Jennet and Tam struggling to save the mortal world from faeries. There were some different issues that each character had to deal with, on top of everything else. This was something else that really helped to keep me interested in the book. Without it, I think the story would have gotten quite repetitive and boring.

Another thing I loved about this book was the way Anthea managed to bring the many different characters together for the common goal of saving the world. In the past two books, it's just been Jennet and Tam facing off against first the Dark Queen and then the Bright King. But now, they have other people to help them out. I think that really demonstrates good character development and it definitely helps move the story along, too.

If you guys haven't picked up this series, you're definitely missing out. It has everything necessary for an interesting fantasy read. So, check out Feyland: The Dark Realm, if you're just hearing about this series for the first time. But, if you've already read the first two books, then you should grab Feyland: The Twilight Kingdom. You won't be disappointed.

Growing up, Anthea Sharp spent her summers raiding the library shelves and reading, especially fantasy. She now makes her home in the Pacific Northwest, where she writes, plays the fiddle, and spends time with her small-but-good family. Contact her at antheasharp@hotmail.com or visit her website – www.antheasharp.com.

Santa Letter # 3

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Here is our third and final Dear Santa letter for you before our give away. This one is written by Vine, a lost boy from the Halfling series by Heather Burch. Warning, there are some spoilers.

Dear Santa,

I think I've been good this year. I began my first mission as a Halfling, to protect Nikki Youngblood. But the real mission has been to keep Mace and Raven from ripping each other apart. They both are in love with Nikki, which would have put them on the naughty list for sure except that we just found out that she's a Halfling too, although not a normal one. I'd imagine she's on the naughty list by now but that's neither here nor there. I've done my best to keep the peace between the three of them but with Raven and Nikki barely hanging on to the light side and Mace's new found temper it's become quite the job. He is so passive aggressive. I've barely had time to eat my candy. While we were at school at the beginning of our mission I also was careful not to fall for any of the human girls even though they were all fawning over my hair. It was difficult because I've never had that kind of attention before. It was nice to be noticed for a little while.

Anyways, if you could throw a few months supply of sour gummy worms in my stocking I'd greatly appreciate it. With all of the stress coming up I'm going to need those. Also if you feel like making a Christmas miracle happen could you magically make the three problem children act right for one day?

Sincerely,
Vine

Don't forget to submit your own Santa letter before December 25 for a chance to win a Hedwig plush and a Harry Potter ornament!

Review: Guardians by Heather Burch

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Vigilance.
The mission to safeguard Nikki Youngblood depends on the fragile alliance of two half-angel, half-human guardians, both struggling with intense feelings for the girl who has been assigned to their care. Mace, steadfast and deeply in love, wants to protect Nikki at all costs, while Raven's loyalty to Nikki finds him advocating for her independence and battling his own darker inclinations. At the same time, Nikki finds it harder and harder to choose between the two heavenly beings she may never have. Dangers intensify, and tensions between Mace and Raven flare as the purpose of their mission becomes clear. Can their defenses hold up to master manipulator Damon Vessler and the powerful secret he holds regarding Nikki's heritage? Can anyone protect Nikki from her true purpose and destiny? -barnesandnoble.com

Nikki Youngblood has lost everything. Her parents, her dog, her motorcycle, even the home she grew up in. She is stuck with three gorgeous half angels, two of which she is falling for, but has to avoid them at all cost even though she needs them both now more than ever because if they fall for her they turn themselves over to the dark side of their beings, a line that Raven is teetering on, and will be damned for eternity. When she finally gives in to Mace, causing Raven to leave, it seems to turn everyone against her and after a brief misinterpreted goodbye to Raven, Mace feels the same. Nikki turns to the only person she believes she has in the world, Damon. Guardian has that love triangle that so many love in a book, adventure, darkness, action, and whopping smack in the face of where did that come from by the end of the book that makes it better than it's predecessor.

Although for the character they are not good, I really liked the changes in Nikki throughout the book. In the first book she is strong even before she loses everything. But in this book she is not just strong throughout the book she slowly becomes harder and darker as everything is thrown at her from Raven leaving, Mace and the other Halflings turning their backs on her, to seeking her revenge for her parents death with Damon. Through it all she becomes stronger than all of them but it consumes her she finds that she can't even be nice to the few people that have always been there for her and have been nothing but kind to her with nasty things flying out of her mouth without even realizing where the thought had come from.

If we are choosing sides, I am team Raven all the way. Especially after this book. Mace was the nice responsible guy in the first book. But in Guardians he was a bit annoying. I understand that there's the whole damned for eternity if a Halfling falls in love with a human but if he cannot stand Raven and Nikki flirting because Raven is much more forward than Mace he should try to truly move on or risk it. Considering the fact that I'm team Raven, Mace's broodiness is just fine for my cause.

Damon didn't really make too many appearances in the first book but in this one he around quite a bit. In the first book as the reader I knew there was something not right about him. In the second book he puts on a super nice act with Nikki but as she continues to change you know that it is him that is the problem and there is something really wrong happening. Throughout the first book and most of Guardian you know there is an ulterior motive and by the end of the book we finally know what it is but I'll let you guys read and find out for yourselves ;] But it's pretty mind blowing.

I really liked the change of scenery in this book. The whole first half of it was on a boat or in Europe, giving the book a good summer read feel even though it is clearly not summer. There is also a small handful of new characters that lighten up the book a bit as well as some mystery of who was that and will we find out who that stranger was in the next book. This book ended with plenty of unanswered questions that leave you impatiently waiting for the third book.

Heather Burch is the author of the Halfling series. She grew up loving fiction books and after marrying into a family of published authors she discovered that fiction writing was her passion. She lives with her two sons and husband in Florida.

Santa Letter #2

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Neace) — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Hey guys! Here's another Santa Letter for you as part of our Christmas Giveaway. This one is from Samantha White from H.P. Mallory's Dulcie O'Neil series. Be advised, if you haven't read up to the third book in the series, you'll want to hold off on reading this letter, too. Enjoy!

Dear Santa,

This past year has been unbelievably crazy. Between Dulcie's beyond complicated relationship with Knight and the things going on in the Netherworld, I'm not sure how things could get any crazier. But, knowing my luck, I have a feeling that the insanity is just beginning. And now, on top of everything else, I can't even go home. I miss my apartment and my normal life more than anything. I'd give anything to have it all back. All of my potions and spell books are in Splendor -- do you know how hard it is being a witch without having access to any of that stuff? Hopefully, this plan goes over smoothly and we can all get our lives back again.

Anyway, if you could leave a new spell book under my tree this year, that'd be awesome. Who knows, maybe it'll help me feel like I'm useful around here. It would be so nice to have some way to contribute to the plan, some way to help the others out.

Thanks,

Sam

There you have it! Now, don't forget to submit your own letters from your favorite character by December 25th for a chance to win a Hedwig plushie and a Harry Potter ornament.

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Neace) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 11:00:00 +0000

"Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest, unaware that on his journey to the Lonely Mountain he will encounter both a magic ring and a frightening creature known as Gollum."

In honor of the premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey that comes out this Friday, I've decided to treat you guys to a classic tale of dwarves, elves, wizards, and other fantastical creatures. This prelude to Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings trilogy is one that will grab your interest and keep it until the very last page. The Hobbit is a must read for everyone.

As I've said before, rereading books isn't really my thing. I rarely ever pick up a book that I've already read before. But since the movie comes out this weekend, I thought I'd pick The Hobbit up again -- especially since I hadn't read it in years. And once I did that, I was reminded of just how much I loved it all over again. One of the things that I absolutely loved about this book was Tolkien's ability to paint a picture with his words that allows the reader to really feel like they're right there with the characters throughout the entire story. His descriptions are so realistic that it's hard to remember that you're not really experiencing it all, you're just reading about it. This is a technique that not many authors today are able to imitate nearly as well as authors past have done.

Another thing I really enjoyed about The Hobbit was the character of Gollum. This scary little creature provides some of the most humorous lines in the entire book -- which is a rather impressive feat, considering he doesn't appear in the book for very long. Gollum is possibly one of my favorite characters in this book, for exactly that reason. He is such a peculiar little character that it's funny to see him interact with Tolkien's more "normal" character of Bilbo Baggins. This makes it extremely difficult to do anything but love and enjoy the character for as long as he's present in the story.

Finally, I am once again amazed at the scope of Tolkien's imagination at the time that he was writing this book, as well as the other books that were set in Middle Earth. The fact that he was able to create this entire world, complete with histories about the different races that inhabit that world, is truly fascinating. And it definitely helps to make an extremely intriguing story, too. Combined with his ability to describe everything in Middle Earth down to the minutest detail, Tolkien's imagined world of hobbits, dwarves, elves, and other mythic creatures is one that I, as well as many other readers I know, would love to live in.

While I enjoy Tolkien's ability to describe everything in great detail, if there is one thing I didn't particularly care for in The Hobbit it would have to be the author's need to describe everything. This is the one aspect of Tolkien's books that I have a sort of love-hate relationship. I enjoy the descriptive detailing in this book, but there does come a point where I feel like it sometimes takes away from the story itself. Nevertheless, I'm still going to insist that you guys check this book out. The Hobbit is a book that you will love from the very beginning, I know it. And honestly, the excessive details are well worth reading through, in this case. So, go ahead: Step into Tolkien's magical world of Middle Earth with The Hobbit. You'll never want to leave. Oh! And be sure to check out the movie this weekend. Looks like it's going to be awesome!

J.R.R. Tolkien (1892 -1973), beloved throughout the world as the creator of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, was a professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford, a fellow of Pembroke College, and a fellow of Merton College until his retirement in 1959. His chief interest was the linguistic aspects of the early English written tradition, but even as he studied these classics he was creating a set of his own.

Christmas Giveaway/ Santa Letter #1

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Hey everyone,

It’s time for our Christmas giveaway! Everyone get out those pins and papers and get ready to write your very own letter to Santa… in the perspective of your favorite book character! Over the next 3 weeks Meg, Crissy and I will be sharing our own letters.

The prize you may ask? An adorable Hedwig plushie and a Harry Potter ornament!

You have until Christmas day or December 25^th to get your get your letters in to us. Simply respond in a comment below with your letter and your name and an e-mail address we can contact you by. We will go through the letters and find the most fun and creative as the winner. The winner will be announced New Year’s Eve.

Now without further ado…. My very own letter from Miss Dulcie O’Neal from H.P. Mallory’s series. But I should tell you now that if you haven’t caught up to the third book in the series you may want to hold off on reading this letter! Spoiler alert.

Dear Santa,

It’s me, Dulcie. I know that things may appear over the past year as if I have been quite a naughty girl. Working for my father and dealing the Draoidheil... but I didn’t want to do any of those things. I spent just as much time trying to make things right. I was thrown into a corner trying to protect the man I love by my very own father, if you could even call him that. Not that I should have to tell you but I didn’t even know that Melachoir was biologically a part of me until recently. Did I mention how difficult it usually is for me to admit the “L” word to anyone?

So if you could throw one of those shiny new handguns under my tree that would be really helpful. I promise my heart is in the wrong place with The Resistance.

Thanks Santa,
O’Neal

Now it's your turn! Show us what you got.

Review: Denied by Kinley Baker

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Neace) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 11:00:00 +0000

"When invaders brutally massacred the women and children of the Varner, Caleb witnessed loss and destruction on a scale few can comprehend. As the leader of a race on the brink of extinction, his only hope for survival is gaining acceptance into the Shadow Shifter Kingdom. Struggling with new customs, he meets Tabitha, a woman who challenges his limits.
Refused the right to join the king’s guard because of her gender, Tabitha must be stronger than the men to prove she deserves to be the first accepted female Warrior in the kingdom. She believes Caleb will help improve her abilities, until she learns her goals conflict with the foundation of his culture.
When the realm is attacked, Tabitha and Caleb must come together not only to fight, but to find the strength to win against an evil with the potential to destroy everything they revere most--including each other."

Caleb is the new leader of the Varner and carries a heavy responsibility on his shoulders - he's been tasked with finding a way to save his race, whose women and children have all been killed. His only hope of securing a future for his people rests in his ability to gain the approval of King Valerian and the Ancestor gods of the Shadow Shifter Kingdom. Caleb is determined to gain this acceptance for his men, but something he didn't count on was finding his aroha - his destined mate - among the Shadow Shifters. Tabitha is a female who was born with the Warrior spirit and wants nothing more than to be the first female member of the king's guard, even though such goals run counter to the ways of the Shadow Shifter Kingdom. As she meets Caleb, she begins to hope that he will be able to help her accomplish these goals - that is, until she realize that they conflict with the beliefs of the Varner. Yet, when the kingdom is under attack, both Tabitha and Caleb must put aside their differences in order to ward off the threat to everything that they both desire. Denied is the sequel to Ruined, Kinley Baker's first novel in her Shadowed Love series (you can find the review for Ruined here).

This book is yet another one that I found by searching through Amazon. I remembered how much I enjoyed reading Ruined and wanted to see if Kinley Baker had any other books out. So, I was extremely excited to find this book. Something I liked about it immediately was that it was set in the same realm as Ruined, which makes a lot of sense, considering Denied is its sequel. When I'm reading a good book, it's extremely hard for me not to become invested in the characters that I'm reading about. So, when I recognized some familiar names in Denied, I was that much more eager to read it. Another thing I really enjoyed was the fact that the writing style for Denied was similar to that of Ruined. This similarity was comforting to me, in a way, because it reminded me of a book that I had loved so much. I also liked that there were consistent aspects of the story from Ruined that helped me when reading Denied, like particular bits of the Shadow Shifter or Varner histories that were mentioned in Ruined. These aspects greatly aided in my understanding of things that were happening in Denied.

However, while there were things that I really liked about this book, there were still some things that didn't particularly appeal to me. For example, with Ruined I was able to jump right into the story almost instantly. Yet, Denied was a struggle to get into. It took me longer to get invested in the plot of the book than I'm used to. After the slow start, I was able to eventually garner some interest in the book, but it was nothing like what I'd experienced when reading the first book in the series. I also wasn't particularly fond that the characters that I'd fallen in love with before seemed to take more of a backseat than was necessary in Denied. After all, they were what had drawn me to this second book to begin with. These things certainly weren't enough to keep me from finishing Denied, but they definitely influenced my thoughts about the book once I did finish it.

I rate this book:

As always, I want to caution you guys against simply taking my word for it about this book. I fully realize that my opinion of Denied was, in part, heavily influenced by my love for Ruined and I understand that I came into reading this sequel with a lot of expectations, based on my opinion of the first book in the series. So, please don't take my opinion as gospel and write this book off solely because of my rating. Check out the first Shadowed Love novel, Ruined. While it's not necessary to read this book first, it will definitely help provide you with a decent backstory for the events of Denied. If you enjoy Ruined, then you should definitely give Denied a shot.

Kinley Baker read her first romance novel at the age of thirteen and immediately fell in love with the hero and the genre. She lives with her husband and her dog, Joker, in the Pacific Northwest. As a firm supporter of all supernatural lifestyles, she writes fantasy romance, paranormal romance, and urban fantasy. Kinley is also the author of Ruined, the first novel in her Shadowed Love series, as well as Freed, which serves as a prequel to her other two Shadowed Love novels. You can find Kinley at www.kinleybaker.com.

Mainstream Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Happy Mainstream Monday! As most of you know, last week, not one, but two major books to movie teaser trailers premiered!! Both The City of Bones and The Host. Did you all see them? If not, look no further.

The City of Bones

The Host

What do you guys think? Are you pumped or what? Personally, I may combust from anticipation before The City of Bones comes out. I haven't been this excited for a book to movie since the Harry Potter films. I was a little disappointed that Jame Campbell Bower was cast as Jace but it seems like he really captured him in this first trailer although only the movie will reveal that in full. I love Lily Collins too and the overall cast seems fresh and talented so I am ready to see this thing.

I haven't read The Host myself, but it looks like I may need to add it to my Christmas Break reading list because the movie sounds like it's going to be pretty good. It's nice to see something a little more SciFi hitting theaters as opposed to vampires and the now popular Zombies.

Review: The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 11:00:00 +0000

"Don't look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase's unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he'd dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister's world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten." -barnesandnoble.com

Ethan Chase would love nothing more that to be left in peace. But apparently that is too much for someone that was kidnapped and held in the Iron realm of Never Never and lived to tell about it. Because of the fey Ethan has been forced to learn to defend himself through the art of Kali, avoid all contact with any people especially after what happened to the one friend he'd ever had, and has been labeled a delinquent by pretty much any adult after being kicked out of several schools simply because the fey won't leave him alone. You'd think that the younger brother of the Iron King would have some authority but no. When this new form of fey emerges attacking half faeries and summer/winter faeries alike Ethan has no choice but to go to Meghan as a last resort and drag Kenzie, little miss can't leave him alone, into the Never Never with him. The Lost Prince an excellent novel with action, love, hatred, and plain ole teenage angst that we all seem to love so much.

This book is a 5/5 because it was fabulously written. There was now awkwardness about writing this spin off for Julie. I love that she capture new characters while still maintaining the old ones. One might be skeptical of there being a new type of fey but it all just worked together and made for an exciting story. I also love that the title has a double meaning, I think, correct me if I'm reading too much into this, that you don't realize until a good chunk of the way into the book.

First off, I have been dying for this book to come out ever since I read the Iron Fey series back in the spring. I had wondered what would happen to sweet Ethan the four year old that Meghan left behind even though he equally need her protection too being born with the sight and all. That sweet little kid is gone and has been replaced with a strong, brave, angry, almost man. I like that Ethan tries to be so selfless. Something that isn't so common in the world but seems to come up again and again in books. Maybe some of us can learn something from these novels. He has ultimately learned to take care of himself and do his best to have as few people to worry about as possible.

Kenzie, I found annoying at first but she grew on me. She is tough as nails, brave, and has a passion for life despite all that has been thrown at her. She is the saying "when life throws you lemons make lemonade". She wants the most she can get out of life and is good for Ethan, who could really use someone to talk to about the weirdness that is his life.

The whole time I was reading this I was like where is Puck!!!! And just when I thought he wasn't going to show up there was the raven. Puck, as always, I a complete delight and brings humor to otherwise not so funny situations. And of course Grim, Meghan, Ash, and Glitch all make an appearance as well and while I love those characters, this isn't there story anymore and I'm happy to find that Ethan's story is told clearly and distinctly. It is his own which sometimes gets mixed up when authors try to do spin offs.

*Spoiler Alert*If you've read the Iron Knight, you know that there was a possibility in Meghan and Ash having a son and you know that time in Nevernever is drastically different from the real world. So when Keirran appears in the books I was more than pleased to meet his acquaintance. Puck makes multiple references to himself and Ash about Ethan and Keirran but as of now I don't see it.

Julie Kagawa is a resident of Louisville, Ky (got to support the locals!!). She is a kungfu enthusiast and writer of not only The Iron Fey series but Iron's Prophecy, The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten, and Blood of Eden series.

Sadly we all have to wait until September 2013 to read the next installment, The Traitor Son. Hmm wonder what that ones going to be about.