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Please Note: New Holiday Review Policy! (extended indefinitely)

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Review: Mind Games by Carolyn Crane

Title: Mind Games
Author: Carolyn Crane
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 03/23/10
Summary:
JUSTINE KNOWS SHE’S GOING TO DIE. ANY SECOND NOW.

Justine Jones has a secret. A hardcore hypochondriac, she’s convinced a blood vessel is about to burst in her brain. Then, out of the blue, a startlingly handsome man named Packard peers into Justine’s soul and invites her to join his private crime-fighting team. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime deal. With a little of Packard’s hands-on training, Justine can weaponize her neurosis, turning it outward on Midcity’s worst criminals, and finally get the freedom from fear she’s always craved. End of problem.

Or is it? In Midcity, a dashing police chief is fighting a unique breed of outlaw with more than human powers. And while Justine’s first missions, including one against a nymphomaniac husband-killer, are thrilling successes, there is more to Packard than meets the eye. Soon, while battling her attraction to two very different men, Justine is plunging deeper into a world of wizardry, eroticism, and cosmic secrets. With Packard’s help, Justine has freed herself from her madness—only to discover a reality more frightening than anyone’s worst fears.


Plot: 4 Stars
I absolutely loved the world-building in this novel. Not only did we get a bit of history on Midcity's crime wave, but we also got to see many landmarks across the city and it's surrounding suburbs. Something about it just felt gritty and real. The highcaps, humans with mutations that give them extra psychic skills, were a fresh take on urban fantasy. How the dissillusionists used and controlled their fear was something so strange, it was complete genius.

Pace: 4 Stars
The first half of the novel was non-stop. I didn't put the book down unless I absolutely had to. But then the story took some turns that didn't seem completely necessary. I understood how they worked into the plot, but the scenes could've been tightened a bit and still come out just as effective. And after 350 pages of build-up, the climax and resolution was not the epic mayhem I was assuming would happen. There was a much calmer mood to the end of the book than what I expected.

Characters: 4.5 Stars
The author had such a realistic and fantastic grasp on the mind of a hypocondriac, that it left me wondering if she herself suffered from such mealth fears. If not, her research and insight into the human mind is superb. Besides Justine, we get a very good look at Packard and the targets he sends her after. Her interactions are both cool and composed, and nervous and spontaneous all at once. I just wish we could've seen a bit more of some of her fellow dissillusionists. It was slightly hard to keep track of them all when I didn't know much about them.

Cover: 4 Stars
I love the background of this cover. The twists and turns of the highway really represent the tangle of highways described in the book. It's not the most important detail, but it's definitely cooler than a no-name building that could've been anything. The cover model was a pretty acurate representation of Justine. I just didn't care for the huge knife she had on the cover because there was never a huge knife in the book.

Overall: 4 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Teaser Tuesday (27)

This weekly book blog meme is hosted by Misb at Should be Reading.

Here are the rules:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away. You don’t want to ruin the book for others.)
- Share the title & author too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

Title: Mind Games
Author: Carolyn Crane
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 03/23/10

He says, "I've noticed nurses on TV don't wear those white nurse dresses and nurse hats anymore." His tone of voice is oddly elevated, like his throat is constricted. "The little white hats? The stockings? You don't like being put in that outfit?" -- pg. 173

Monday, March 29, 2010

Review: Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn

Title: Voices of Dragons
Author: Carrie Vaughn
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 03/16/10
Summary:
On one side of the border lies the modern world: the internet, homecoming dances, cell phones. On the other side dwell the ancient monsters who spark humanity's deepest fears: dragons.

Seventeen-year-old Kay Wyatt knows she's breaking the law by rock climbing near the border, but she'd rather have an adventure than follow the rules. When the dragon Artegal unexpectedly saves her life, the rules are abruptly shattered, and a secret friendship grows between them.

But suspicion and terror are the legacy of human and dragon inter­actions, and the fragile truce that has maintained peace between the species is unraveling. As tensions mount and battles begin, Kay and Artegal are caught in the middle. Can their friendship change the course of a war?


Plot: 5 Stars
I absolutely love the world that Vaughn created in this novel. A cold war between dragons and people, complete with a border that is watched over by both sides. What more could you ask for? Each side finds the other mysterious, which has led to some fear. As much as I didn't think the government would play such a role in the novel, it really worked and made it feel real, which is tough considering the dragons.

Pace: 5 Stars
This is one of those rare books that I just couldn't put down. The action never takes a break, and the twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end. Kay didn't dwell on minor details, and kept her eye on the big picture. Plus, there was a real sense of time passing, which was great because I find some novels squish too much action into a week or less.

Characters: 4 Stars
Kay felt like a very real teenager to me. I really enjoyed that she didn't know exactly what she wanted in regards to boys (she reminded me of myself at sixteen). Her friends were nice compliments and her parents were strict enough without being overbearing (considering her father's a sheriff). There were certain military characters that you loved to hate. And the dragons were mysterious in a way that definitely has me begging for a sequel.

Cover: 4 Stars
Although I enjoyed getting a visual of Kay, I wish the dragons could've played a bigger part in the cover. The silhouette of the dragon behind the title is nice, but not enough. The dragons played too big of a part in the story to have such a small part on the cover. I do think the cover model represented Kay quite well. And the colors were very eye catching.

Overall: 4.5 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

In My Mailbox (27)

Thanks to Kristi at The Story Siren for hosting In My Mailbox every week.



Review:

Web of Lies by Jennifer Estep (eARC)
I actually received this two weeks ago, but forgot to include it since it's not a physical book I could take a photo of. Oops.

Bought:

Embers by Laura Bickle
Mind Games by Carolyn Crane
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Review: Vintage Soul by David Niall Wilson

Title: Vintage Soul
Author: David Niall Wilson
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 12/09/09
Summary:
Donovan DeChance is a collector of ancient manuscripts and books, a practicing mage, and a private investigator. When, despite the finest in natural and supernatural security, a sexy and well-loved, three hundred year old lady vampire is kidnapped right out from under her lover's nose, Donovan is called in to investigate.

He soon finds that there is much more to the case than a simple abduction when an unknown intruder invades his home and steals a very rare, very ancient manuscript. There will be no ransom for the kidnap victim, and if Donovan doesn't prevent an ancient, forbidden ritual from reaching its culmination, far more than a single vampire's undead existence will be at stake.

Calling on his lover and partner, Amethyst, and an odd assortment of contacts, informants, and connections, Donovan follows the ghostly trail of the kidnapper through a winding maze of intrigue-always a step behind-through magical battles, murders, and confrontations with a rogue band of young vampires intent on beating Donovan at his own game.

Vintage Soul is a dark urban supernatural mystery with a hint of romance. Set in an underground society, a city within the city of San Valencez, California, it opens portals to the unknown darkness that surrounds us. Fast-paced, strewn with clues, investigation, and magic, this is a book sure to slake the appetites of fans of mystery and the supernatural.


Plot: 3 Stars
There are many twists and turns in this novel that will keep you guessing. The vampires were different from many other vampires in the way they aquired the blood they needed, and the magic performed by Donovan and others was interesting. I just wished more of it could've been explained. I did enjoy getting to see many interesting places within San Valencez. The world-building within this novel was definitely very thought out.

Pace: 2 Stars
The novel was a little slower paced than I would've liked. It took a bit longer to become really engaged in the story. There were also too many point of view changes. I understand that it was needed to cover all aspects of the plot, but the way the story jumped from point of view to point of view felt a little disjointed. They just didn't fit together smoothly in some points.

Characters: 2.5 Stars
I felt like we never really got to know any of the characters that well due to the numerous point of view changes. I didn't engage with many of the characters because we didn't really get to know a lot about them, neither from their point of view or other's. The main thing I wish we had gotten about some of the more important characters is history, especially Donovan and Amethyst. It's a bit hard to tell exactly what their relationship is.

Cover: 3.5 Stars
Although the cover is a little dark, it depicts a specific scene from the book with many details that are true to the story. With so many covers out there that are vaguely related to the story, this one was a fresh cover for the urban fantasy genre. As much as I would've loved the main character, Donovan, to make an appearance, it's still a striking cover.

Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I received my copy for review from the author.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Giveaway winners: NUM8ERS by Rachel Ward

There were 23 participants for a total of 101 total entries. Using random.org, the three (3) winners of NUM8ERS by Rachel Ward is...

donnas, Dannie, and Amanda Leigh!

You have 72 hours to respond to my e-mail with your mailing information, so I can pass it along. Congratulations!

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Teaser Tuesday (26)

This weekly book blog meme is hosted by Misb at Should be Reading.

Here are the rules:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away. You don’t want to ruin the book for others.)
- Share the title & author too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

Title: Vocies of Dragons
Author: Carrie Vaughn
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 03/16/10

Then they flew away before the army could respond. The planes tried to follow them, but the dragons flew faster. -- pg. 149

Monday, March 22, 2010

Review: The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Title: The Body Finder
Author: Kimberly Derting
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 03/16/10
Summary:
Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.


Plot: 5 Stars
Although there are many novels out there involving a heroine with some sort of psychic ability, Violets ability is a very unique one I haven't encountered before. I really liked that she not only sensed the bodies, but could also sense the echoes on the person who was at fault. My favorite aspect of her ability was that each echo was unique to the individual, so as to make it possible to notice multiple echoes. I also really enjoyed that Violet's parents were aware of her ability, when so many other Young Adult heroines keep that aspect from their parents. I also liked how the paranormal aspect of the story didn't overshadow Violet's social and school life. There was a great balance to this novel that I really enjoyed.

Pace: 5 Stars
I couldn't put this novel down. It was filled with one twist after another. Just when I thought I had figured it out, I was thrown for a loop and sent in a completely different direction. The story also had a very real timeline. Summer ended, school started, weeks went by. Too often, three hundred pages encompasses two or three days of power packed craziness. It was nice to have the plot spread over the course of weeks instead of days because it felt real. Also, the chapters dispersed throughout the novel from the villian's point of view were well placed and really added to the suspense.

Characters: 5 Stars
Violet was a very likeable young adult character who doesn't let her ability get in the way. The relationship between Violet and Jay was a nice blend of friendship and growing feelings that I think many people will relate to. I also liked how Violet's parents were involved without being too overprotective. Lately it seems like in many Young Adult novels the parents are either absent or too removed from the story, but this wasn't the case for Violet's parents and it was a refreshing change.

Cover: 4.5 Stars
There seems to be a trend in Young Adult paranormals where the cover has a striking flower on it instead of a cover model. The large blue flower on the cover of The Body Finder was very striking against the black background. While the photo itself was striking and makes for a beautiful cover, it doesn't really have anything to do with the story. Had the title not been "The Body Finder" or something just as descriptive to the plot, I wouldn't have had a clue what the novel was about.

Overall: 5 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

In My Mailbox (26)

Thanks to Kristi at The Story Siren for hosting In My Mailbox every week.



Bought:

Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken
The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Used Trade-In:

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
Divine by Mistake by P.C. Cast

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Waiting on Wednesday (22)

This book blog meme is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Title: Feed
Author: Mira Grant
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release date: 04/27/10
Summary:
The year was 2014. We had cured cancer. We had beat the common cold. But in doing so we created something new, something terrible that no one could stop. The infection spread, virus blocks taking over bodies and minds with one, unstoppable command: FEED.

Now, twenty years after the Rising, Georgia and Shaun Mason are on the trail of the biggest story of their lives-the dark conspiracy behind the infected. The truth will out, even if it kills them.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Author Interview: Skyler White

First off, I'd like to thank Skyler White for taking the time to answer my questions. Her new Urban Fantasy novel, and Falling, Fly, released on March 2nd. Everyone should go run out and get a copy. I thought it was an awesome book, as you can see from my review of and Falling, Fly, which can be found here.




Sara: How would you describe your novel, 'and Falling, Fly', in three sentences or less, for readers who haven’t heard of it before?

Skyler: ‘and Falling, Fly’ is a dark fable of desire between a fallen angel and a self-medicating neuroscientist. It’s a love story between two mutually exclusive world-views set in world without any, where medicine and mythology both confront the mystery of what it means to be human. Neither can answer alone nor hear the other.

How would you describe Olivia and Dominic using only three words each?

Skyler:
Olivia- dark, beautiful, damned
Dominic- brilliant, fearless, denied

Sara: Olivia and her sisters are the only angels in your novel, and your website describes ‘and Falling, Fly’ as feminist. Are all of the angels in this universe female, or are there male angels that we haven’t met yet?

Skyler: There are definitely masculine angels, but all the angels of desire are female.

Sara: On your website, ‘and Falling, Fly’ is described as anti-‘Twilight’. From the beginning, was it important to you to that the female protagonist not become a victim of a male vampire, or did it just happen?

Skyler: I hadn’t read the ‘Twilight’ books when I wrote ‘and Falling, Fly’, but having read them, it’s hard for me to imagine two vampire books with less in common. In ‘and Falling, Fly’, not only is the powerful, supernatural creature the woman, but the core question of the book is how she can become the authority on her own desire, rather than the object or victim of another’s. Bella’s only access to power and protection is through the desire she inspires in a man infinitely more powerful than she. I don’t believe real love can co-exist with fear for one’s physical safety.

‘and Falling, Fly’ is a very adult book too, using the same symbols to say something almost the inverse of Twilight’s pro-abstinence stance. Olivia is a vampire because desire is powerful. A woman’s desire is powerful. And can be monstrous or divine. I wanted to start out with the monstrous and see what it took to redeem it. We have such a complicated relationship to our own hungers. I wanted to tease some of them apart, look for the relationships between them and the pathologies and mercies.

Sara: Why neuroscience? Were you afraid that some of the concepts would be too scientific or obscure for some readers? Was there a lot of research involved?

Skyler: That’s a great question. Why neuroscience? Because it’s so d*mn cool! Dominic is a neuroscientist because he has to be, because it would be the only way a guy like him would go about trying to answer the questions he has, but also expressly because it allowed me to do the research.

And yes. There was lots of research. Was I afraid? Yes. Of course. But not really for the neuroscience.

‘and Falling, Fly’ is a challenging book that asks a lot of its readers. It’s my hope that it gives a lot in return, but to some extent, the neuroscience is the easy part. I’m asking folks to engage with me on some very complex terrain. The neuroscience, at least, exists elsewhere. But yes, of course I worry. I worry because it’s a very fine line between asking enough of readers that they engage with their whole self, mind and emotion, and asking so much that you exclude people you want to reach.

I want to reach people with this book. I want to touch them. I don’t want to confuse folks or overwhelm them with language or science, but I truly believe that my best chance to deliver the experience to readers that I hope I can lies in taking exactly those risks.

Sara: The setting of the majority of ‘and Falling, Fly’ is in Ireland. Did you visit Ireland for research (or for fun)? And if so, what were your favorite parts of the trip?

Skyler: I travelled to Ireland for fun in 2005, before I wrote the book. The trip was a ten-day solo trip, a gift from my husband, and hugely important to me. I took a ton of pictures and lots of notes, and when I was writing I was able to refer back to them. Every part of that trip was a favorite, but the U2 show in Dublin certainly stands out as a highlight!

Sara: Both Olivia and Dominic are seen sporting tattoos or getting tattooed. I personally have five (and eleven piercings), so little details like this make me like a character that much more. Do you have any tattoos of your own, or any plans for a tattoo?

Skyler: I don’t have any. I’m too inconsistent. But my husband has one that runs from his second toe to his last rib, so I have a certain vicarious connection to the process.

Sara: Your next novel, ‘In Dreams Begin’, follows a different cast of characters through the same universe. Can you give us a brief summary? How is ‘In Dreams Begin’ similar to ‘and Falling, Fly’? How is it different?

Skyler: ‘In Dreams Begin’ revolves around the Irish poet WB Yeats and Laura, a modern commercial artist who, on her wedding night, wakes up in the body of Maud Gonne, the six-foot tall, red-headed, possibly party-faerie political revolutionary everyone believes Yeats was in love with. In my story, it’s Laura he loves, and their connection, reaching across time and countries, allows me to play with the Victorian occult, modern romance, body image, possession and the fae all in the context of remarkably co-operative real historical people and events.

Yeats really was involved in the occult. He and Maud Gonne really did have a marriage “on the spiritual plane,” and Maud was, at the time, in the Irish countryside, widely considered to be of the Sidhe, a kind of faerie known for spiriting away the souls of wives on wedding nights. It’s different from ‘and Falling, Fly’ in that it concerns different questions: fidelity rather than desire, the body vs. time rather than body vs. mind, and that it’s grounded much more in actual history; but it’s similar in how it asks its questions and in several important points of overlap.

Sara: Who are your greatest influences, both in and out of the Urban Fantasy genre?

Skyler: Marion Zimmer Bradley, Anne Rice, Margret Atwood, Tom Robbins, Neil Gaiman, Caitlin Kiernan, Mihaly Csíkszentmihályi, Yeats. I’m going to keep the list to writers and stop there. It’s not an exhaustive list though. There are so many. And I feel different influences more or less strongly at different times.

Sara: What are you currently reading?

Skyler: I like to keep one collection of poetry, and another of comics or short stories, a non-fiction research or craft book, and a novel going at the same time. Right now it’s Rimbaud, Gaiman’s ‘Sandman: World’s End’, ‘Maps and Legends’ by Michael Chabon and China Mieville’s ‘The City and The City’.

Skyler White is author of dark fantasy novels ‘and Falling, Fly’ (Berkley, March 2010) and ‘In Dreams Begin’ (Berkley, March 2010). She lives in Austin, TX.
http://www.skylerwhite.com




Thank you, Skyler, for taking the time to answer my questions! And feel free to post any comments or questions for Skyler.

Teaser Tuesday (25)

This weekly book blog meme is hosted by Misb at Should be Reading.

Here are the rules:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away. You don’t want to ruin the book for others.)
- Share the title & author too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

Title: The Body Finder
Author: Kimberly Derting
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 03/16/10

This time instead of sounding like a granite command, it sounded like warm silk wrapping around her. And instead of bristling against it, she just nodded as she stared at his beautiful face, unable to think of anything but the wonderful things his lips had just done to her. -- pg. 182

Sunday, March 14, 2010

In My Mailbox (25)

Thanks to Kristi at The Story Siren for hosting In My Mailbox every week.



Won:

Beautiful Dead: Jonas (ARC) by Eden Maguire (Thanks Mundie Moms!)
Blood of the Demon by Diana Rowland (Thanks Diana via Twitter!)

Bought:

Hourglass by Claudia Gray

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Review: Lips Touch by Laini Taylor

Title: Lips Touch: Three Times
Edited by: Laini Taylor
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 10/01/09
Summary:
Three tales of supernatural love, each pivoting on a kiss that is no mere kiss, but an action with profound consequences for the kissers' souls.


Title: Goblin Fruit
Rating: 2.5 Stars
This story was a quick read, but the ending felt rushed, like it was cut short. It started off with a lot of details and seemed very promising. I think it would've been a great story if the ending could've had about twenty more pages to flesh it out instead of just ending mid-scene.

Title: Spicy Little Curses
Rating: 4 Stars
The idea of hell that was central to this story was a very interesting view of hell. The ideas of saving souls, reincarnation, and cursing individuals made for a very tale. I really liked the interaction between the two main characters, especially considering the obstacle they had to overcome.

Title: Hatchling
Rating: 3 Stars
Although the lore was very interesting, this story was really drawn out. It jumped between points of view, which was a bit confusing to follow. And when detailing some of the history and lore, it seemed a little slow and drawn out.

Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my local library for my own enjoyment.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Giveaway Winner: Shadowglass by Erica Hayes

There were 28 participants for a total of 118 total entries. Using random.org, the winner of a signed copy of Shadowglass by Erica Hayes is...

Alexa of Violet Eyes Roaming!

You have 72 hours to respond to my e-mail with your mailing information, so I can pass it along to Erica. Congratulations!

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

NUM8ERS Giveaway

Thanks to Big Honcho Media I have 3 hardcover copies of NUM8ERS to giveaway. You can check out the book's website here and the author's website here.

Ever since she was child, Jem has kept a secret: Whenever she meets someone new, no matter who, as soon as she looks into their eyes, a number pops into her head. That number is a date: the date they will die. Burdened with such awful awareness, Jem avoids relationships. Until she meets Spider, another outsider, and takes a chance. The two plan a trip to the city. But while waiting to ride the Eye ferris wheel, Jem is terrified to see that all the other tourists in line flash the same number. Today's number. Today's date. Terrorists are going to attack London . Jem’s world is about to explode!




Giveaway Rules:

You must leave a vaild e-mail address.
This contest is open to US residents only.
Please, only one comment per person.

Extra entries:
+1 For being a follower (new or old)
+3 For tweeting the contest @sara_UFblog (must leave link in comment)
+5 For a blog post (must leave link in comment)

** This giveaway will end at midnight EST on Wednesday 03/24 and the winner will be announced Thursday 03/25. Winners will be chosen using Random.org.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Teaser Tuesday (24)

This weekly book blog meme is hosted by Misb at Should be Reading.

Here are the rules:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away. You don’t want to ruin the book for others.)
- Share the title & author too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

Title: Vintage Soul
Author: David Niall Wilson
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 12/09/09

Turning from the supplies in the pews, he stepped forward and stood before the kneeling rail at the altar. Cobwebs dangled between the once polished wooden slats. The carpet had been scarlett, he thought, but had faded from moisture and ground-in dirt to the color of dried blood. -- pg. 117

Sunday, March 7, 2010

In My Mailbox (24)

Thanks to Kristi at The Story Siren for hosting In My Mailbox every week.



Bought:

Destiny Kills by Keri Arthur
Shadowglass by Erica Hayes
Don't Kill the Messenger by Eileen Rendahl
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Library:

Need by Carrie Jones
Boys that Bite by Marianne Mancusi
Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor

Used Trade-In:

Dawnkeepers by Jessica Andersen
The Devil You Know by Mike Carey
Kiss of Fate by Deborah Cooke

Friday, March 5, 2010

Review: NUM8ERS by Rachel Ward

Title: NUM8ERS
Author: Rachel Ward
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 02/01/10
Summary:
Ever since she was child, Jem has kept a secret: Whenever she meets someone new, no matter who, as soon as she looks into their eyes, a number pops into her head. That number is a date: the date they will die. Burdened with such awful awareness, Jem avoids relationships. Until she meets Spider, another outsider, and takes a chance. The two plan a trip to the city. But while waiting to ride the Eye ferris wheel, Jem is terrified to see that all the other tourists in line flash the same number. Today's number. Today's date. Terrorists are going to attack London. Jem's world is about to explode!


Plot: 2 Stars
The plot could've been fantastic. Seeing the date that any person you make eye contact with will die seemed like such a great plot point. But in the end, for me, it just didn't play the part I wanted it to. This was a Contemporary Young Adult novel with slight psychic overtones, whereas I thought it was going to be a cool Urban Fantasy Young Adult novel. The running away and hiding out also isn't a plot point I often enjoy, and nothing about this novel really stood out for me.

Pace: 2 Stars
Everything seemed to take a bit too long to happen, and as a result, the novel seemed to drag as I was reading. I personally didn't need to know every detail while Jem and Spider were on the run, because it got a bit boring and repetitive.

Characters: 1.5 Stars
I didn't really connect with Jem or Spider. Instead of saying, "Even though my childhood was bad, I'm gonna rise up and be the best I can" they both just kind gave up on themselves. They let society's assumptions come true and I just wanted them to be a bit more motivated. I did like Spider's Nan though, and I wish we could've seen more of her.

Cover: 2.5 Stars
The cover was OK. I liked how the number theme transferred to the pages when chapters started and the embossing on the cover. But the eye was just a little creepy to me. Maybe if the iris was a natural color and not blood red. Altogether though, it just wasn't very eye-catching.

Overall: 2 Stars

Disclosure: I received my copy for review from Big Honcho Media and Scholastic.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Guest Blog + Giveaway: Erica Hayes

Today I'd like to welcome Erica Hayes, who is stopping by to talk about her new Urban Fantasy release, Shadowglass, which released on March 2nd. I have not gotten a chance to read Shadowglass yet, but you can read my 5 review of Shadowfae, book 1 of the Shadowfae Chronicles, here. Her topic for this guest blog is where she gets her ideas. I found it very interesting, and hope you do to! And stick around, there's a giveaway at the bottom of the post.


Hi everyone, and thanks so much to Sara for hosting me on her blog today. It's a pleasure!

Authors are often asked: "Where do you get your ideas?" With fantasy authors in particular, people are fascinated by that spark of an idea that became a story.

And I always have trouble with that question. Ideas come from so many places, and rarely can I put my finger on the exact time or place that the first inkling of a book idea occurred to me. For me, it's more of a matter of knowing what I like, and creating the stories I want to read – because hey, I can't be the only one, right?

For instance, when I started SHADOWGLASS, I knew I wanted to write a magic mirror story. Ever since Snow White, I've loved the idea of a mischievous mirror that messes with your mind and shows you what it wants to. And I knew I wanted it to be about fairies, just because they're cool and sexy and have a rockin' good time. But how to incorporate fairies and magic mirrors into an urban fantasy story that I'd want to read?

Hmm, I thought. Well, I know I love strong heroines. Not necessarily kick-ass chicks, but girls who make the best of the skills they have, and don't whine when things go wrong. So I made my fairy heroine like that. Ice from SHADOWGLASS makes a really big mistake by peeking into that mirror, and it lands her in big trouble. Everything she does to put it right just makes things worse. But she doesn't complain, or give up. She just tries harder. Ice might not be powerful, but she sure is persistent.

So when she meets Indigo, the sexy metalfairy of her dreams, she isn't giving up. No matter how many times he insists he's not interested. I don't wish to give too much away, but believe me: Indigo has dark and urgent reasons why Ice is the last woman in town he should get involved with…

Stubborn heroine. Equally stubborn, conflicted hero. Magic mirror messing with their minds. Throw in some vengeful demons, a pair of greedy gangsters and a weird bodysnatching angel, and voila! SHADOWGLASS.

And all because I read Snow White as a kid, and like resourceful heroines.

Getting ideas. It's easy :)

Thanks to everyone for dropping by! You can find out about my books, and read excerpts, at http://www.shadowfae.net


And now for the giveaway. Erica has graciously offered one lucky commenter a signed copy of Shadowglass. All you have to do is leave a comment.

Welcome to a secret world hidden behind shadowy fairy glamour, where thieving spriggans rob you blind, beautiful banshees mesmerize you with their song, big green trolls kick heads at nightclubs and vampire Mafiosi rule the streets. Here a seductive magic mirror lies hidden deep in a demon's lair, with a simple warning: don't stare at the glass... Ice is a light-fingered fairy who can't resist a look at the powerful mirror. The mirror offers her a chance to achieve everything she's ever dreamed of. But when she pilfers it, she discovers that its power comes with a price: the mirror is a gateway to obsession and madness... and it will take every trick in her arsenal just to survive.


Giveaway Rules:

You must leave a vaild e-mail address.
This contest is open to the US and Canada only.
Please, only one comment per person.

Extra entries:
+1 For being a follower (new or old)
+3 For tweeting the contest @sara_UFblog (must leave link in comment)
+5 For a blog post (must leave link in comment)

** This giveaway will end at midnight EST on Thursday 03/11 and the winner will be announced Friday 02/12. Winners will be chosen using Random.org.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Waiting on Wednesday (21)

This book blog meme is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Title: Spells
Author: Aprilynne Pike
Genre: Young Adult
Release date: 05/04/10
Summary:
Six months have passed since Laurel saved the gateway to the faerie realm of Avalon. Now she must spend her summer there, honing her skills as a Fall faerie. But her human family and friends are still in mortal danger--and the gateway to Avalon is more compromised than ever.

When it comes time to protect those she loves, will she depend on David, her human boyfriend, for help? Or will she turn to Tamani, the electrifying faerie with whom her connection is undeniable?

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Teaser Tuesday (23)

This weekly book blog meme is hosted by Misb at Should be Reading.

Here are the rules:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away. You don’t want to ruin the book for others.)
- Share the title & author too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

Title: NUM8ERS
Author: Rachel Ward
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 02/01/10

I heard Spider crunch back throughthe undergrowth, then plonk himself down nearby and rummage in the bags. He had obviously fetched out another blanket, because I could hear him shifting around whbere he sat, trying to get comfortable, then more rummaging, and the sound of something scraping, something metallic. -- pg. 132

Monday, March 1, 2010

Month in Review: February

Another slow month... Anyway, here are the books I read in February (along with links to their respective reviews):

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa 4 Stars

Happy Hour of the Damned by Mark Henry 3.5 Stars

Personal Demons by Stacia Kane 3 Stars

Silver Kiss by Naomi Clark 4 Stars

and Falling, Fly by Skyler White 4 Stars

Nightlife by Rob Thurman 4.5 Stars




I had fun reading Happy Hour of the Damned, Personal Demons, and Nightlife for the The League of Reluctant Adults mini-challenge at Literary Escapism. I'm just, once again, upset by my microscopic total of books read for the month. There was a time when I could gobble up a book and a day, even with work. There was a time I could average at least two a week while taking a full course load. But I think the more I try to read a lot, the less I end up reading. So I'm gonna give up trying to read and just let it flow. We'll see how that goes in a month...

So what did everyone else read in February? :)