In My Mailbox (110)

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

I was very surprised to get Dead Alert in the mail today. I won that giveaway on Goodreads months ago, and had all but forgotten about it, so it was a great after work surprise. I think I did much better spending wise this week. :)


Bought:
The Doomsday Vault by Steven Harper [Buy now]
The Hunter by Theresa Meyers (Kindle)
Demon Bait by Moira Rogers (Kindle)

Won:
Dead Alert by Bianca D'Arc [Buy now]
Thanks to Goodreads and Kensington!

Library:
The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch [Buy now]
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente [Buy now]
Shifting by Bethany Wiggins [Buy now]

Month in Review: November

So NaNoWriMo was a bit of a bust for me. After about a week and almost 9,000 words, work became a bit overwhelming. I've decided that NaNo being in November is a bit ridiculous for me since I work in retail. I really like what I started, so I think I'm gonna do my own NaNo in January or February when work slows down (and Christen will be keeping me on track). Anyway, November was a pretty good reading month, all things considered. This past month consisted of two Urban Fantasies, one Paranormal Romance, one Steampunk Romance, and five Paranormal Young Adults.

November: 9

Spider's Revenge by Jennifer Estep 5 Stars
iDrakula by Bekka Black 2.5 Stars
Drink Slay Love by Sarah Beth Durst DNF
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin 4 Stars
Kitty Goes to War by Carrie Vaughn 4.5 Stars
Miss Bramble and the Leviathan by Kristen Painter 4 Stars
Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore 5 Stars review coming soon
Crux by Moira Rogers 3.5 Stars review coming soon
Unleashed by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie 4.5 Stars (+ giveaway)

---

So what did everyone else read in November?

Review + Giveaway: Unleashed by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie

Title: Unleashed
Author: Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie
Series: Wolf Springs Chronicles #1
Genre: Paranormal Young Adult
Release Date: 11/22/11
Reviewed by: Sara
But the Book:

Summary:

Katelyn McBride’s life changed in an instant when her mother died. Uprooted from her California home, Katelyn was shipped to the middle of nowhere, Arkansas, to her only living relative, her grandfather. And now she has to start over in Wolf Springs, a tiny village in the Ozark Mountains. Like any small town, Wolf Springs has secrets. But the secrets hidden here are more sinister than Katelyn could ever imagine. It’s a town with a history that reaches back centuries, spans continents, and conceals terrifying truths. And Katelyn McBride is about to change everything.

Broken families, ageless grudges, forced alliances, and love that blooms in the darkest night -- welcome to Wolf Springs.

Plot: 4.5 Stars
There was a cloud of mystery surrounding this entire novel that gave it a fantastically creepy feel. Wolf Springs itself was a pretty mysterious and creepy place filled with mysterious and creepy people. The setting really gave a lot to the rest of the novel, and allowed for some storylines that may not have worked in a more urban setting. Although I figured out pretty early what the paranormal creature in this novel was, it was still interesting to follow Katelyn as she figured it out. And I was definitely surprised by who was and wasn’t said paranormal creature. There were many twists and turns in this novel, many of which I didn’t expect. I really liked how some of the mystery was figured out, but other parts have been left to explore more in future books. It really makes me antsy in anticipation for the next novel. This is definitely a great addition to Paranormal Young Adult.

Pace: 4.5 Stars
This was a fast-paced novel that I read in only a few sitting. What sucked me in so quickly was the weirdness of Wolf Springs and its residents. I wanted to know what was going on and why everyone was so strange. Katelyn’s grandfather’s strict rules about not going in to the woods after dark only furthered my curiosity. Just when things seemed to be getting a bit more normal with schoolwork and parties, something crazy would happen to suck me right back in. Although the novel didn’t end with a cliffhanger exactly, it did end right as Kat had a revelation that could definitely change things. And it left me wanting more. I can’t wait for the next novel in this series to come out.

Characters: 4.5 Stars
In a small town like Wolf Springs, everyone knows everyone, so it was the talk of the town when Katelyn showed up after her mother’s death to live with her grandfather. She had a lot of her plate: dealing with her grief, leaving her home and best friend, starting at a new school, and trying to make new friends. I think she dealt with everything pretty well, especially when thrown into weird positions. I would have liked to learn a bit more about her late parents and best friend, Kimi, and hope more information about them appears in future books. I also don’t feel like I learned that much about her grandfather, considering Kat was living with him. But the air of mystery surrounding him made him an interesting character. Trick was Kat’s ride to school, and kind of a weird dude (in a good way). He didn’t always make sense and didn’t get along with some of the other kids, but he was a great character. Cordelia, on the other hand, was a very frustrating character. Her moods flip-flopped constantly and she was always very vague when answering questions. She was hiding a big secret, but sometimes it was too frustrating. And her family was all kinds of dysfunctional.

Cover: 4 Stars
The top half of the cover works a lot better than the bottom half. I like the full moon in the woods. It gives the cover a mysterious feel that really fits Wolfs Springs. It also hints at the paranormal aspect of the novel. The bottom half comes across very over-dramatic vampire movie to me. The hands gripping the cover model’s head, along with the way she leans her head back to expose her neck, just screams vampires instead of werewolves. There’s also a bit of dead space around the cover model and the mysterious arms. But I absolutely love the font chosen for the title, and really like when the series title is included. The way the title splits the cover in half is very unique, and really draws the eye. The navy blue color chosen for the cover is a great choice because it really fits the mood of the novel.

Overall: 4.5 Stars

Disclosure: I received a copy of this novel for review from the publisher.



Giveaway:
I have three (3) copies of Unleashed to giveaway! To enter, just answer the following question: Would you rather live in a tight-knit small town, or a large urban city?

Giveaway Rules:
1. Must leave a comment answering the question.
2. Must leave a valid e-mail address.
3. Giveaway is open to the US only.
4. Giveaway is open until midnight on Wednesday 12/14.
5. Winners will be chosen on Thursday 12/15 using random.org.

Review: Miss Bramble and the Leviathan by Kristen Painter

Title: Miss Bramble and the Leviathan
Author: Kristen Painter
Genre: Steampunk Romance
Release Date: 10/19/10
Reviewed by: Sara
Summary:

The last thing she planned to steal was his heart.

The Company. Military institution, protector of Praeton and the nation of Grand Isle. Dirty rotten thief.

When Pandora Bramble steps aboard the Company’s premiere airship Daedalus it’s not for the exclusive VIP tour. It’s to secure proof that the Company stole the regulator valve her father designed -- even if it means tearing the engine apart. Foiled by the unexpected appearance of a handsome crew member, she despairs of ever getting another chance -- until he kisses her.

Captain Theolonius Hatch, sentenced to engine room duty for refusing to take part in the Company’s fleet week activities, never dreamed a woman like Pandora existed. Her brains match her beauty, a combination that adds up to more trouble than he ever expected.

As Pandora allows Theolonius to sweep her into a whirlwind courtship, her wildest dreams come true. As do her greatest fears, leaving her to decide what matters most. Loyalty... or love.

The clock is ticking.

Warning: This book contains airships, mechanical owls, women who are good with tools, men in and out of uniform, steam generated by engines and people, and some hot carriage scenes.

Plot: 4 Stars
My favorite part of this story outside of the romance was the Steampunk details. I liked the scenes in which the inventions were involved and I got to learn more about the world the story took place in. The inventions and gadgets are almost like their own brand of paranormal creature to me, which is probably why I like Steampunk more and more with each story I read. The romance in this story had its ups and downs, even in the short amount of time. There was a couple twists and turns at the end that took me by surprise. All in all, this novella was a great story for romance and Steampunk lovers.

Pace: 4 Stars
Although this novella was on the shorter side, it never felt rushed. There was great character development in the beginning, along with great information about the technology of the world. It didn't take long for the two main characters to meet and get to know each other. The synopsis of the novel describes it as a whirlwind courtship, and I think that's the perfect way to describe it. There are parts of the relationship that seem a bit rushed, but in a realistic way that can happen when two people instantly connect. There were no dull moments in this novel, and even a couple surprises.

Characters: 4 Stars
Pandora Bramble was a great character. She didn't fit into gender norms. She had to work at her father's shop fixing things due to his drinking and gambling. It made her more interesting than the rest of the female characters in the story. I really connected with her since I'm definitely not a girly-girl. Captain Hatch was also an interesting character. He definitely met his match with Pandora. Pandora's father, although a very small character, affected the story in a number of ways. It was his invention that the Company stole, and it was his invention that Pandora was trying to steal when she met Captain Hatch.

Cover: 4 Stars
Is it me, or does the cover model look a lot like Kirsten Dunst? Probably does now that I mentioned it... Anyway, besides the possible celebrity look-a-like, the cover model is a great representation of Miss Bramble. Although you can’t see a lot of detail in her clothing, what you can see definitely gives off a Victorian feel which fits perfectly with the Steampunk aspect of the story. My favorite part of this cover is the background details. The clock, the light posts, the bridge all fit in very well with the story. There’s also a bit of fog layered over the cover that gives it a mysterious vibe. I wish the cover hadn’t been quite so monochromatic, but the blue is a very striking and lovely color. The font choice for the title worked very well, except I would have made “Leviathan” a more masculine font to play off of the cursive of “Miss Bramble”. But this is definitely one of my favorite covers from Samhain Publishing.

Overall: 4 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this novel for my own reading pleasure with a gift card I received for my birthday.

Review: Kitty Goes to War by Carrie Vaughn

Title: Kitty Goes to War
Author: Carrie Vaughn
Series: Kitty Norville #8
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 06/29/10
Reviewed by: Sara
But the Book:

Summary:

Kitty Norville, Alpha werewolf and host of The Midnight Hour, a radio call-in show, is contacted by a friend at the NIH's Center for the Study of Paranatural Biology. Three Army soldiers recently returned from the war in Afghanistan are being held at Ft. Carson in Colorado Springs. They're killer werewolves -- and post traumatic stress has left them unable to control their shape-shifting and unable to interact with people. Kitty agrees to see them, hoping to help by bringing them into her pack.

Meanwhile, Kitty gets sued for libel by CEO Harold Franklin after featuring Speedy Mart -- his nationwide chain of 24-hour convenience stores with a reputation for attracting supernatural unpleasantness -- on her show.

Very bad weather is on the horizon.

Plot: 4.5 Stars
There's never a dull moment in Kitty Norville's life. My favorite part of every novel is the beginning, when she's doing her radio show. It's such a great concept and the reason I fell in love with this series in the first place. I really enjoyed her radio show this time around, as she did a segment on Speedy Mart, a convenience chain, and whether or not there was something paranormal happening with the business. And of course, this gets her into a bit of trouble with the CEO. Before much can come of the libel suit, she is asked to help with a group of military werewolves. The alpha of the military werewolves was killed and in Afghanistan, and the now the pack is unable to function. It was very interesting to see how Kitty and her pack dealt with these newcomers to their territory.

Pace: 4 Stars
This book took a bit longer to get into than the past couple of the series. Given the two main story lines being so different, there was a bit more introduction than the average novel from this series. Although the two story lines came together in the end, for the majority of the book they seemed to be happening parallel to each other, with Kitty bouncing from one to the other as needed. This isn’t a bad thing; it just led to a bit more explaining before we could get to the action. But once the metaphorical crap hit the fan, this novel was action packed and kept me on the edge of my seat. It was definitely one of those novels in which I seriously did not know how the good guys were going to come out on top. I have to remember not to bring any books in this series to work because I end up taking longer than I should for lunch because I can’t put them down.

Characters: 4.5 Stars
The past couple novels had focused a lot on Ben and Kitty and the growth of their relationship, so I was glad to see this novel focus a little more on their pack, Cormac, and some newcomers. Kitty didn’t try to deal with everything on her own, which allowed members of her pack to come into the spotlight a bit. If it wasn’t for her pack and their reach, the bad guy would have ended up with much more power. It was also really fun to read about the pack dynamic after the last couple novels focusing more on Kitty. My favorite part of this novel was that Cormac was back and ready for action, although he did seem a bit different than the last time we saw him outside of a jail cell. He’s very quiet and seems to know a bit more about certain supernatural things. When Kitty finally got some answers out of him, it definitely wasn’t anything I expected, but it makes his character even better. The military werewolves that the story kind of centered around were a very interesting concept. The dynamic between them and Kitty was probably the highlight of the book.

Cover: 4.5 Stars
I’m glad that Tor kept the same feel to the covers after acquiring the series. It was easy for me to know that it was the next novel in the Kitty Norville series, and not something similar but random. The addition of the small “first time in print” also helps with any confusion. My favorite part of the cover is the camouflage tank top Kitty is wearing, playing off of the title. I also like how the cover model is proving her dominance by standing over the three wolves on the cover. The three wolves are also very important to the novel, so it was great to see all three and not just one or two. The different textures in the background were a nice touch and gave the cover a bit more depth. I’m not sure if yellow was the best color for this cover, especially since the series already had a yellow cover, but the oranges mixed in allow it to stand out against the other yellow cover.

Overall: 4.5 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this novel for my own reading pleasure.