Cry Havoc! Reviews

Still alive, sorta...

2011-05-29T10:24:00.002-05:00

We're here I swear, we've just had a really rough couple of weeks. Our youngest has a really weak immune system, so when the stomach flu reared it's ugly head at our casa, the baby was sick for a week. Couldn't keep anything down and was hospitalized for dehydration. *whaa whaa whaa* Man children's hospitals are great, but having a kid in one is so not. And then the best part! The day we finally got home, big brother is on the couch puking HIS brains out. Oi! The joys of parenthood. Though I lucked out with my awesome blood cells, I wasn't immune to the exhaustion. So I've been laying low the last week. Trying to get caught up on sleep and housework and reading. Thanks to Sophie Jordan for the fantastic gift of Vanish (Firelight #2) that was such a nice treat to come home too. I've also got to get a review up for Original Sin (Personal Demons #2) by Lisa Desrochers. I'll get to that shortly. I've had a blast rereading the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews in anticipation of book #5 Magic Slays. I'm counting down the minutes to Tuesday! I also started reading the Highlander series by Karen Marie Moning. I likey! So that's what's up been happening around here. Sorry for being absent, hope you can understand why. We'll be up and running again really soon. Thanks guys!

Blood Magic Review

2011-04-30T19:33:00.005-05:00

Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton

Release Date: May 24th 2011

Copy Provided by: Book It Forward Tours

Synopsis:(Goodreads)
This page-turning debut novel will entice fans who like their paranormal romances dark and disturbing. It's a natural next-read for fans of Stephanie Meyer, Carrie Jones, and Becca Fitzpatrick. But instead of mythical creatures, blood magic has everything to do with primal human desires like power, wealth, and immortality. Everywhere Silla Kennicott turns she sees blood. She can't stop thinking about her parents alleged murder-suicide. She is consumed by a book filled with spells that arrives mysteriously in the mail. The spells share one common ingredient: blood, and Silla is more than willing to cast a few. What's a little spilled blood if she can uncover the truth? And then there's Nick—the new guy at school who makes her pulse race. He has a few secrets of his own and is all too familiar with the lure of blood magic. Drawn together by a combination of fate and chemistry, Silla and Nick must find out who else in their small Missouri town knows their secret and will do anything to take the book and magic from Silla.

Review: I loved it. I waited a bit too long to write this review, so I'm not still in the "moment" with it, but I really, really enjoyed it.

Silla is the once popular now reclusive teen still grieving the traumatic loss of her parents. Of course they happened to die in what looks like a murder-suicide, which only makes her the talk of her small town. When she receives a spell book in the mail, in her father's handwriting no less, things start to turn upside down.

Nick is the new kid in town and has moved across the cemetery with his father and father's new wife after he inherits his grandfather's house. Along with the house comes some bad memories of his mother and magic. Fast forward to Nick catching Silla working a little blood magic and we have the beginning of a lovely new relationship.

Silla's hell bent using her new found powers to find her parents killer, while Nick's along for the ride desperately trying to remember all those times his mother cut herself and why. Then a big bad comes into the picture and a race to save each other and the magic they have found within themselves begins.

I'm so excited to see where this series is going to go. I'm a HUGE fan of the Merry Sister's of Fate, (aka Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton and Brenna Yovanoff) and have loved everything they have written so far, so I knew this book would rock. I wasn't dissapointed at all.

5/5 Stars!

Defiance Review

2011-04-28T06:16:00.003-05:00

Defiance (Strange Angels #4) by Lili St. Crow

Release Date: April 19th 2011

Copy provided by: myself

Synopsis:(Goodreads)
The heart-stopping fourth novel in New York Times bestselling author Lili St. Crow's Strange Angels series.

Now that sixteen-year-old Dru's worst fears have come true and Sergej has kidnapped her best friend Graves, she'll have to go on a suicidal rescue mission to bring him back in one piece.
That is, if she can put all of Christophe's training to good use, defeat her mother's traitor, Anna, once and for all, and manage to survive another day . . .

Review:
Dru does it again! She is, by far, my favorite YA heroine and she just can't seem to do anything wrong!

We left off with poor Graves being kidnapped and Dru being left in charge of the Order. While everyone's waiting for Dru to bloom, she's desperately trying to get a lead on where Graves is being held.

After a lot of this and that we finally get to the good stuff. ASH! Oh yea, someone's been looking out for the Silverhead and he and Dru manage to release him from Serje's hold. Which in turn lets him change back! Lets take a moment to relish in the hotness that is Ash...Okay, on to more important parts.

Once again, someone has betrayed Dru, and it's a doosie. Depending on what "team" you're on, I think you'll react differently to this. Since I'm Team Graves, (though really I'm Team Ash) I wasn't as surprised as other might be. Christophe, to me, is a pervert. I mean come on, he was in love with her mother! That makes him really, really old, and she's still 17. Gross. Anyway, after learning of this HUGE betrayal Dru does the one thing she can and runs off to rescue Graves.

After a huge battle to the death Dru and Graves are once again on the run. I cannot wait for the final book, Reckoning to release this Fall. I'm so excited and yet so sad to see such a wonderful series come to an end. It's been rough, but I'm so happy to have experienced this story and I just hope there's a somewhat happier ending in store for Dru. God knows she deserves it after all the hell she's endured. If you've been keeping up with Dru and the gang, then you'll be blown away with the latest installment. Go get it now, you won't be disappointed.

5/5 Stars!

Waiting on a Wednesday -

2011-04-27T06:11:00.000-05:00

This weekly event is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Here's mine for the week:

Hounded (The Iron Druid Chronicles #1) by Kevin Hearne

Release Date: May 3rd 2011

Synopsis:(Goodreads)
Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, lives peacefully in Arizona, running an occult bookshop and shape-shifting in his spare time to hunt with his Irish wolfhound. His neighbors and customers think that this handsome, tattooed Irish dude is about twenty-one years old—when in actuality, he’s twenty-one centuries old. Not to mention: He draws his power from the earth, possesses a sharp wit, and wields an even sharper magical sword known as Fragarach, the Answerer.

Unfortunately, a very angry Celtic god wants that sword, and he’s hounded Atticus for centuries. Now the determined deity has tracked him down, and Atticus will need all his power—plus the help of a seductive goddess of death, his vampire and werewolf team of attorneys, a sexy bartender possessed by a Hindu witch, and some good old-fashioned luck of the Irish—to kick some Celtic arse and deliver himself from evil.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Um...yes please! I'm a big fan of hot Druid boys. This just sounds like an awesome start to a new and fantastic series! If this isn't on your TBR pile, you should add it now. I've already pre-ordered mine and can't wait for May to arrive!

Teaser Tuesday - Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf

2011-04-26T06:01:00.000-05:00

"Teaser Tuesday" is a weekly meme hosted

by: Mizb of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can do it, here's how:

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.)

Here's my tease for the week:

Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf by Curtis Jobling

Release Date: September 20th 2011

Page: 112

"Hector," said Drew quietly, through cracked lips. Hector's eyes widened, clapping straight onto the captive before darting a glance to the door.

"You can talk?" he said, leaning close.

"I'm not an animal," replied Drew, coughing.

"My master said he suspected you were indeed mute, as he's had no luck getting you talking. Speak to him, for goodness' sake. If you answer his questions, he'll stop his investigation."

"Investigations?" Drew manages to exclaim. "You call this an investigation? Who are you trying to fool, Hector? He's torturing me to within an inch of my life, then sending you in here to patch me up. He's a monster. He's the animal."

_________________________________________

Poor Drew has to endure so much in his short journey. I don't know how he does it. I hope you all have a chance to read Wereworld, it's one of my new faves!

Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf Review

2011-04-25T06:27:00.001-05:00

Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf by Curtis Jobling

Release Date: September 20th 2011

Copy provided by: LibraryThing Early Reivew Program

Synopsis:(Goodreads)
'You're the last of the werewolves son. Don't fight it...Conquer it'. When the air is clear, sixteen year-old Drew Ferran can pick up the scent of a predator. When the moon breaks through the clouds, a terrifying fever grips him. And when a vicious beast invades his home, his gums begin to tear, his fingers become claws, and Drew transforms ...Forced to flee the family he loves, Drew seeks refuge in the most godforsaken parts of Lyssia. But when he is captured by Lord Bergan's men, Drew must prove he is not the enemy. Can Drew battle the werecreatures determined to destroy him - and master the animal within?

Review:
Like a lot of people I didn't know if I'd like this. (Not being a huge fantasy fan, but I'm getting more and more into it.) Wereworld grabs you from the first chapter and doesn't relent until the last page. Even then you can't help but demand to know what will happen next! I'm already DYING to read book two, and book one doesn't even release in the US till September. I have a LONG wait ahead of me.

So we start of with Drew, who has been raised as a farm boy his whole life. After a series of horrible and terrifying events, one's that he feels are his own fault, he is thrust into a world he knows nothing about. It turns out Drew is the son of the old King and therefore the rightful heir to the corrupt throne.

With the help of some very unlikely friends, he finds himself on a journey he could never even dream of. Wereworld is a beautifully written fantasy about a boy who must confront the reality of who he is and take on the responsibility of a kingdom.

It's a story of hope and heroism. Drew always takes a stand, even when the easier, not to mention safer, way may be to run. He is such a noble character and he doesn't even know it. I highly recommend Wereworld to everyone. You don't even have to like the genre to understand the story. It's about people and the actions they take that make them who they are. I loved it!

5/5 Stars!

Nocturne Review

2011-04-23T06:02:00.000-05:00

Nocturne by Syrie James

Release Date: January 4th 2011

Copy provided by: Star Book Tours

Synopsis:(Goodreads)

When Nicole Whitcomb’s car runs off a Colorado mountain road during a blinding snowstorm, she is saved from death by a handsome, fascinating, and enigmatic stranger.

Snowbound with him for days in his beautiful home high in the Rockies, she finds herself powerfully attracted to him and soon comes to realize that the feeling is mutual. But there are things about him that mystify her, filling her with apprehension—and Nicole can’t shake the feeling that he doesn’t want her there.

Who is Michael Tyler? Why does he live alone in such a secluded spot and guard his private life so carefully? What secret—or secrets—is he hiding?

Nicole has secrets of her own and a past she is running from—but Michael understands her better than anyone she has ever known. Soon, she is falling as deeply in love with him as he is with her.

But as the sexual tension between them builds, the clues mount up. When Nicole learns the terrifying truth—that her host is an ages-old vampire who is torn between his love for her and his desire for her blood—there’s nowhere for her to run but into the blizzard raging outside, and he’s the only one who can save her life.

Filled with unexpected twists and surprises, Nocturne is a page-turning, haunting, and deeply romantic story of forbidden love that will grab your heart and not let go

Review:
I went into this thinking it was going to play-out one way. It didn't, and I think I had hyped it up so much in my head that I was kinda crushed when it didn't go the way I wanted it to.

Looking at the cover and reading the synopsis, I was hoping for a Beauty and the Beast retelling, or more of a werewolf story. It's neither. It's a vampire tale and I'm getting really over them.

That being said, I loved the first half. I also really enjoyed that there were only the two main characters. It was a really different experience only getting to know these two, I liked it and hope to read more like this.

Nicole finds herself swerving on black ice and the next thing she knows she in some random strangers house. And lets not forget that there's a terrible storm brewing so she's stuck there for days. (It gets a little cliche)

Michael is the dismissive and angry recluse living in said house. Turns out he's hiding a dark and terrible secret. With me still? This was were I kept hoping he was a shifter of some sort. I'm just not a big vampire fan, but throw anything shifter related to me and I'll gobble that right up.

So, not only is he an immortal vampire, but he's also her favorite author! I know, I know, that was so out of left field. That's part of the reason I liked it so much. I really loved that they could connect over his writing and then of course they both have skeletons in their closets that they bond over.

The ending left me unsatisfied. It was one of those not really happy endings. I won't give it away but I think I'd like it more if the ending was different or if there was going to be a sequel of some sort (which the author hints at!)

3/5 Stars

Waiting on a Wednesday - Blood Magic

2011-04-13T05:57:00.004-05:00

This weekly event is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Here's mine for the week:

Blood Magic (Blood Journals #1) by Tessa Gratton

Release Date: May 24th 2011

Synopsis:(Goodreads)
This page-turning debut novel will entice fans who like their paranormal romances dark and disturbing. It's a natural next-read for fans of Stephenie Meyer, Carrie Jones, and Becca Fitzpatrick. But instead of mythical creatures, blood magic has everything to do with primal human desires like power, wealth, and immortality. Everywhere Silla Kennicott turns she sees blood. She can't stop thinking about her parents alleged murder-suicide. She is consumed by a book filled with spells that arrives mysteriously in the mail. The spells share one common ingredient: blood, and Silla is more than willing to cast a few. What's a little spilled blood if she can uncover the truth? And then there's Nick—the new guy at school who makes her pulse race. He has a few secrets of his own and is all too familiar with the lure of blood magic. Drawn together by a combination of fate and chemistry, Silla and Nick must find out who else in their small Missouri town knows their secret and will do anything to take the book and magic from Silla.

______________________________________

Oh yes, I am very excited to get my hands on this one. (Should be sometime next week via Book It Forward Tours!) Anyway, Tessa Gratton is part three of the awesomeness that is the Merry Sisters of Fate. (aka Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton and Brenna Yovanoff) So, I don't see how it could possibly be anything other than fantastic. Put it on your TBR list, it's gonna be great.

Teaser Tuesday - Mona Lisa eclipsing

2011-04-12T06:10:00.004-05:00

"Teaser Tuesday" is a weekly meme hosted

by: Mizb of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can do it, here's how:

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.)

Here's my tease for the week:

Mona Lisa Eclipsing (Monère: Children of the Moon #7)
by Sunny

Release Date: April 5th 2011

Page: 126

...They did the same to me, and then the four of them climbed back up, pulled the ladder up and over the side, and drew an enormous silver netting, the ropes twice as thick as what they had used to capture us, over the top of the pit.
"Think of me as you burn," Mona Sierra said in parting. but they didn't leave just yet. Not until two darts, accurately thrown by hand, came sailing through the net to stab me in the thigh. Already I could tell that they had used full-strength venom. It would knock me out for hours. Hours during which Dante might die.
No, I wailed inside as consciousness dimmed. Noooo....Dante!

__________________________________

So here's a little sneak peak at some of the troubles Mona Lisa and Dante find themselves in. Let me just say, poor Dante. That boy sure goes through a ton. Anyway, it's a must read if you've been following the Monère this far. Hope you can quench your thirst for the hotness that is Dante Morell.

Mona Lisa Eclipsing Review

2011-04-11T13:11:00.005-05:00

Mona Lisa Eclipsing (Monère: Children of the Moon #7)
by Sunny

Release Date: April 5th 2011

Copy provided by: Self bought

Synopsis:(Goodreads)
From the time she was an orphan, Mona Lisa knew she was different. As a Mixed-Blood daughter of the Monère, she rules her domain in the Louisiana Bayou. But she’s about to become the hunted as her mind begins playing tricks, and no one is who they seem.

Roberto Carderas, a dangerous drug lord of mixed Monère heritage, arrives in Cozumel to eliminate a rival. But the jaguar-shifter has encountered a much more valuable prize on the island: Mona Lisa, the first female Monère he’s ever met—and one especially vulnerable in that she has lost her memory. Now, with all knowledge of her real life as stripped away as her defenses, Mona Lisa can be manipulated into believing…anything.

Convinced that Roberto is her kind and sensual protector, Mona Lisa thwarts all attempts at her rescue—including those made by her desperate lover Dante. As Roberto’s devious scheme gets underway, Dante can only hope that the touch of his warm flesh will reignite total recall in the body and mind of the woman he loves. But escape for both of them could be as forever elusive as Mona Lisa’s past.

Review:
I'm really kinda bummed. It was not at all what I was hoping for. It started out okay, but to me, it went down hill from there.

I think a lot of us really wanted Dante back in the picture. (I've been waiting months and months for more Dante!) Not just the brief "lover" he became. They had such an intense relationship in the previous book and I thought he'd have a bigger role, but he was shoved to the back of this storyline. We start out with Mona Lisa running to Mexico to find him and bring him home. I figured we'd have the beginning of a new and strong relationship there, but nope. It was a wham, bam, thank you ma'am and we're back to the OTHER 4 men she "dates".

Then the second half of the story came out of left field! Great idea, but so random to put it in this book. We go from the jungles of Cozumel to Washington DC in like two scenes. I'm not really clear how we got from being home in Louisiana, watching t.v. to running interference with the FBI in DC. It almost read like two novellas instead of one cohesive story.

Since I read the Monère series for the smut, I was a little disappointed with the love scenes. They seemed rushed and thrown together. One for each lover and call it a day. So not enough for me!

I'm still wanting to read the next book, since the series is now going in a very different direction I want to be there to see what happens. I still love Mona Lisa and all her lovely men. I just hope the next book is better.

2/5 Stars

I'm back, for real this time!

2011-04-11T06:03:00.003-05:00

So the move was harder and took WAY longer than expected.

But have no fear, I'm back. I have quite a few reviews to post, since I kept reading during the move and while I was waiting for the internet to be set up here.
I'll get those posted up asap, and also get those fun meme's running again.

I also think, since you all are so awesome for sticking around,
we need to have another giveaway.
I'll think on it, figure something out, and let you all in on it.

So, reviews will be coming out for these books:

Tiger's Quest
Darkest Mercy
Lover Unleashed
Alien in the Family
Nocturne
Mona Lisa Eclipsing
City of Fallen Angels
Blood Solstice: Part 4 in The tale of Lunarmorte
Department 19
and a few others.

I told you I've been busy!
Thanks again for sticking around. We're back, and hopefully, better than ever.

-MissHavoc

Tiger's Quest Review

2011-04-10T10:09:00.004-05:00

Tiger's Quest (Tiger's Curse #2) by Colleen Houck

Release Date: June 7th 2011

Copy provided by: Book It Forward Reviews

Synopsis:(Goodreads)
Back in Oregon, Kelsey tries to pick up the pieces of her life and push aside her feelings for Ren. But danger lurks around the corner, forcing her to return to India where she embarks on a second quest-this time with Ren's dark, bad-boy brother Kishan, who has also fallen prey to the Tiger's Curse. Fraught with danger, spellbinding dreams, and choices of the heart, TIGER'S QUEST brings the trio one step closer to breaking the spell that binds them.

Review:

****************Book 1 spoilers********************

Wow. What a fantastical new series. I love the feeling of an exotic journey you get when you're reading it.

Tiger's Quest is even better than the first, Tiger's Curse. I'm loving that more and more sequels are enhancing series instead for just following up a great first book. They are now getting better and better with each progressing book. Makes my love of reading even more outrageous!

So, Tiger's Quest leaves off right after Tiger's Curse. Kelsey is back home and missing Ren something fierce. But she's trying to move on. When she starts seeing other people and low and behold, Ren's back! (of course!) But so is his dark and dangerous brother Kishan.

When the bad guys show up and kidnap Ren, it's up to Kelsey and Kishan to save the day. Off they go to the next mystical land, full of Faeries and a wonderful story about Noah's Arc, to finish the second phase in breaking the Curse.

It's so very New Moon in the fact that, with Ren out of the picture for a while, Kishan has the chance to moves in on Kelsey. (Ms. Houck was inspired to write the Tiger's series after finishing the Twilight Saga... So if you liked the romance aspect of Twilight/New Moon I HIGHLY recommend these books.) I'm in love. I HATE love-triangles, but this one is just so good!

With a very unexpected ending I'm really looking forward to book #3, Tiger's Journey. I can't wait to find out what happens next. Who will go on the next leg of the Curse breaking adventures? Can they fix Ren? Will Kelsey realize that Kishan is the better choice?

Oh man, it's such a beautiful tale I hope you have the chance to experience it.

5/5 stars!

Teaser Tuesday - River Cast

2011-03-15T09:24:00.003-05:00

"Teaser Tuesday" is a weekly meme hosted

by: Mizb of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can do it, here's how:

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.)

Here's my tease for the week:

River Cast: Part Two in the Tale of Lunarmorte by Samantha Young

Release Date: March 21st 2011

Page: 104

"You remember Rose?" He asked, coming to a stop by his ex-girlfriend whilst trying to catch the eye of his mate so he could determine her feelings. Caia stiffened, and her eyes narrowed on Rose, an Amazon compared to her own small stature. If he wasn't so worried this was going to cause the rift Marita intended, he's actually find it funny how unintimidated Caia appeared by Rose's height and build.

"How could I forget?"

Was that a sneer? Aw crap, she was pissed.
He felt Rose stiffen next to him and was afraid to look at the expression on her face.

"I'm Lucien's ex-lover."

Craaap. Ex lover? That word...it was just so...graphic.

"I see." Caia nodded, flashing him a hateful look. "Not so ex by the look of things."

"Actually," Rose interrupted, placing a hand on his arm and drawing him back towards her. "We were just discussing that."

__________________________________

Oh snap! Now those of you who read Lunarmorte would know how things are between Caia and Lucien. Adding Rose into the picture is just BAD NEWS. It made my toes curl when I read this, and I wanted to smack him for it. It just gets worse. So go out and get River Cast so you can see what happens next.

River Cast Review

2011-03-14T06:45:00.001-05:00

River Cast: Part Two in the Tale of Lunarmorte by Samantha Young

Release Date: March 21st 2011

Copy provided by: The author for an honest review

Synopsis:(Goodreads) understand Marita’s vision for the future of the Coven, and withstand her manipulation and plans for them. Plans that are sure to separate Caia from Pack Errante; plans that inadvertently push Caia not only further away from Lucien, but from all Daylights.

Conflicted… Caia must choose a side in the war. And her choice may mean sacrificing all those she has come to love.

Review:
Perfect!

Oh how I love these characters. I am so glad some of them got their HEA, well, for the time being at least.

Some new friends become enemies, while an old flame reemerges. Turns out there's a darker side to the Daylight Coven, one that Caia never saw coming. Some of those old enemies turn out to be good friends, and not everyone in the Midnight Coven is evil.

We get to see inside the Daylight Coven's training center and into the heart of the Midnight Coven. While Caia and Lucien still struggle with their relationship, new bonds are formed in Pack Errante.

If you enjoyed Lunarmorte/Moon Spell you will love the next chapter in the story. I for one am looking forward to the conclusion and learning which side the good guys are really on.

5/5 Stars!

Lily of the Nile Review

2011-03-10T05:57:00.001-06:00

Lily of the Nile (Cleopatra's Daughter #1) by Stephanie Dray

Release Date: January 4th 2011

Copy provided by: Star Book Tours
Synopsis:(Goodreads)

Heiress of one empire and prisoner of another, it is up to the daughter of Cleopatra to save her brothers and reclaim what is rightfully hers...

To Isis worshippers, Princess Selene and her twin brother Helios embody the divine celestial pair who will bring about a Golden Age. But when Selene's parents are vanquished by Rome, her auspicious birth becomes a curse. Trapped in an empire that reviles her heritage and suspects her faith, the young messianic princess struggles for survival in a Roman court of intrigue. She can't hide the hieroglyphics that carve themselves into her hands, nor can she stop the emperor from using her powers for his own ends. But faced with a new and ruthless Caesar who is obsessed with having a Cleopatra of his very own, Selene is determined to resurrect her mother's dreams. Can she succeed where her mother failed? And what will it cost her in a political game where the only rule is win-or die?

Review:
I just learned that I don't like historical fiction. I had never read any before, so I thought I'd try it out. Yeah, I don't like it. I won't be reading anymore any time soon. I didn't finish it so I won't be book bashing, though I can't really give a review. I do love the Roman time period and the story of Cleopatra is very interesting, so I'm guessing if you enjoy that stuff too, you'd like this story. That's about all I'm going to say. It was a good story, and written well, but as a historical novel there just wasn't enough interest for me. Try it out if you like this genre. I'm thinking you'll love it. If I was able to read more than half of it, then if you're into this type of story I don't see why you wouldn't love it.

Waiting on a Wednesday -

2011-03-09T06:22:00.003-06:00

This weekly event is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Here's mine for the week:

Alien In The Family (Katherine "Kitty" Katt #3) by
Gini Koch

Release Date: April 5th 2011

Synopsis:(Goodreads)

Super-Being Exterminator Kitty Katt and the Alpha Centaurian she loves, Jeff Martini, should be finalizing their wedding plans. But that was before she discovers Jeff is in line to become Emperor back on his home world. Kitty knows she is everything a royal family wouldn't approve of, and is bracing herself for the worst. As it turns out, the royal family is just the beginning. Especially when extraterrestrial Amazonian terrorists are determined to start and end Kitty and Jeff's nuptial festivities with a bang.

_____________________________________

This is such a fantastic series that I can't stop myself from rereading books #1 & #2 so I don't forget any little detail leading up to book #3.

This series has it all, aliens, hot dudes wearing Armani, scary monsters and kick-butt heroine who uses sarcasm like it's nobodies business. The "Kitty Katt" series is quickly becoming a favorite of mine and is now on my "auto buy" list. I'd like a whole Gini Koch library please, thank you very much. If you haven't read book #1 Touched by an Alien, I suggest you get on it. That way you're all ready when the awesomeness of Alien in the Family hits stores early April. Go on, get to it.

Teaser Tuesday - Die For Me

2011-03-08T06:43:00.001-06:00

"Teaser Tuesday" is a weekly meme hosted

by: Mizb of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can do it, here's how:

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.)

Here's my tease for the week:

Die For Me by Amy Plum

Release Date: May 10th 2011

Page: 98

"Well, I'm glad we're starting with the easy questions," he said, stretching his powerful arms and then leaning toward me. "The answer would be...because we're zombies!" and he let out a horrible groan, stretching his mouth open and baring his teeth as he curled his hands into claws.

Seeing my terrified expression, Ambrose started cracking up and slapping his knee with his hand. "Just kidding," he cackled, and then, calming down, looked at me sedately. "But, no, seriously. We're zombies."

___________________________________

Ugh, I LOVED Die For Me. It was so beautifully written and I am so looking forward to the next chapter. Here is just a little sneak peak and some of the "boy's" dry sense of humor.

Die For Me Review

2011-03-07T05:38:00.001-06:00

Die For Me (Revenants #1) by Amy Plum

Release Date: May 10th 2011

Copy provided by: Book It Forward Tours

Synopsis:(Goodreads)

DIE FOR ME is the first of three books about Kate, a sixteen-year-old American who moves to Paris after the death of her parents. She finds herself falling for Vincent, who she discovers is not the typical French teenager he appears: he is something else entirely.

DIE FOR ME presents a new supernatural mythology presented in a city where dreams are sometimes the same as reality.

Review: Lovely!
I thought it was really beautiful! Such a great spin on the supernatural/paranormal teen romance.

A breath of fresh air, but I am worried that there might be a lot of bashing when it comes out. Lots of Twilight haters are going to be scraping similarities between the two books together, and I'm afraid some people won't pick it up because of that. I just can't see how a book that sold almost 50 million copies is bad, and that anything written afterward with any kind of the same idea is ripping it off.

Anyway, the things that I'm afraid people will be turned off by are that the main love interest is a dark and brooding supernatural being. One that the protagonist is instantly attracted to and then spends a lot of time trying to figure out what he is. Then there is the rich supernatural family that lives in a beautiful house, some of which may or may not like her. And finally, Die For Me is more of a teen romance with a supernatural spin. It is a character driven story and you want to learn more about them, instead of just wanting more action.

Okay, so other than that there is NO similarities. They are NOT vampires. Plain and simple they are something even cooler. The mythology behind the story is well thought out and makes sense. Everything flowed well and I didn't get confused at any point in the explanation. I hate when I can't grasp some part of a storyline and then I stumble along trying to figure out what's going on.

The Revenant world is well plotted and I look forward to reading more. Die For Me ends almost as a stand alone would, with everything wrapped up nicely but not drawn out, and I can't wait to get more of this world and it's characters. If you're a fan of paranormal teen romance then this is right up your alley. There is action and suspense and fighting, all that good stuff, but mostly it is a beautiful love story. One that I hope to enjoy again and again.

5/5 Stars!

Divergent Review

2011-03-03T07:40:00.004-06:00

Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth

Release Date: May 3rd 2011

Copy provided by: Book It Forward Tours

Synopsis:(Goodreads)

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Review:
Finally!

I've just been on a dystopian slump. It was a little discouraging. The last two YA dystopians I've read, I wasn't even been able to finish. It made me very hesitant to pick up Divergent, so much so that I almost just took myself off the tour. I'm so glad I didn't do that. Divergent was definitely something else.

From page one I was sucked in, and wasn't able to put it down till I finished the very last sentence. It was amazing to watch Beatrice become Tris. I mean you really can see how every little experience helps build her into a tougher, stronger version of herself. How she goes from struggling to be a meek, selfless Abnegation to this bold and almost defiant Dauntless.

I get that it was a dystopian focusing on the society and how that all needed to change, but I really got a sense that it was more of a coming of age story set within a dystopian world. If Tris wasn't able to figure out who she really was, then she couldn't go about helping others. She finds that selflessness and bravery really can go hand in hand and that by choosing one over the other she looses sight of the bigger picture. Being selfless with her courage makes her who she is.

All in all a FANTASTIC start to a new world. Where you only get one shot at defining who you are, and that choice can really mean the difference between life and death. All fans of YA dystopian will be swept away with the need to choose a faction for themselves. What's your greatest strength: Honesty, Knowledge, Kindness, Selflessness or Courage? Which would you choose, if you only got one choice?

5/5 Stars!

The Water Wars Review

2011-02-07T06:23:00.000-06:00

The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher

Release Date: January 1st 2011

Around the World Tours

Synopsis: (Goodreads)

Welcome to a future where water is more precious than gold or oil-and worth killing for

Vera and her brother, Will, live in the shadow of the Great Panic, in a country that has collapsed from environmental catastrophe. Water is hoarded by governments, rivers are dammed, and clouds are sucked from the sky. But then Vera befriends Kai, who seems to have limitless access to fresh water. When Kai suddenly disappears, Vera and Will set off on a dangerous journey in search of him-pursued by pirates, a paramilitary group, and greedy corporations. Timely and eerily familiar, acclaimed author Cameron Stracher makes a stunning YA debut that's impossible to forget.

"Let us pray that the world which Cameron Stracher has invented in The Water Wars is testament solely to his pure, wild, and brilliant imagination, and not his ability to see the future. I was parched just reading it."-Laurie David, academy award winning producer of An Inconvenient Truth, and author of The Down to Earth Guide to Global Warmin

Review:
I actually didn't finish this. I only got 50 pages or so into it. I LOVE dystopian, and the ones with an Eco edge are great. But this was like shoving global warming down my throat. It also really creeped me out and I didn't want to read anymore. I know that's naive, but I didn't want to think about there not being water around when my kids are older. The other thing I just couldn't wrap my head around what the author being a guy, writing as a teenage girl. I know female authors do this all the time, and most do it well, but there was something really off about Vera. I didn't get into much of the romance, but I read in other reviews that it was very one sided and not very epic. We like our epic love stories don't we? So, sorry to those who want to read this and wanted my opinion. I didn't like it enough to even get 100 pages into it. Oh well. Maybe next time.

I'm still alive!

2011-02-06T17:39:00.006-06:00

I swear I'm still kicking, I've just been SWAMPED with real life.

You know how it is...plus I have two kids that DEMAND my attention 24/7.
Reading has just taken a back seat lately and I'm ready to get back in the saddle.

Sooo...with my totally lame slacking I have neglected to write at least 3, if not more, reviews.
Since it's been weeks now since I've read said books, we'll just have to have a few mini reviews.
I swear things will get back to normal shortly.

On a plus side, my one year blogoversery is coming up!
I'll have to have some awesome goodies to go along with it.

So, thanks to all of you who are still around, I love you guys!

So, quickie reviews:

5/5 stars!

Loved it! It was even better than the first! You know it's good when the sequel out wits its predecessor! Cassel is back with more trouble nipping at his heels. Now that he knows what he's capable of, he has a whole new set of issues to face. Like, who killed his brother or the other men missing from the mom? Let's not forget that the love of his life has been cursed to love him back by his mom. AWKWARD! And then there's the small issue of the mob and the Feds fighting over him. Yeah, senior year is going to be a crazy one.

3.5/5 stars

I really liked this one. It's the sequel to Song of the Moon, which I loved. I did read an uncorrected advanced copy so it was very rough and a little difficult to get through and will differ from the finished copy. The story line is great. Tons of action and adventure. The romance is still there with the added benefit of a third party. Achilles lays a claim on Artemis as well and everything goes down hill from there. I'm very excited to see what happens next and how Ares and Achilles will manage "sharing" her. Crazy, I know! If you haven't read Song of the Moon yet you need to, and then go out and get Kiss of a Star. It's a great addition to this exciting new series.

3/5 stars

I was in the middle of a book funk when I read this, so I don't mean to offend anyone with my take on this sequel. I was bummed with it. I was hoping for more action and a lot less drama. I can't stand the sort of forced love triangle between Pieter, Jess and Sarah. I mean really? You love the guy but you push him on your psychotic friend? And then get pissed when he starts falling for her? Gag. It's sick and not in a good way. I was also a little bit confused on where we were going on this ride. Still trying to break out mom and find a cure right? Oh just kidding! We can't cure ourselves now since we need all our supernatural powers to rescue her. And working with the CIA? Yeah, probably not a good idea seeing as how they keep trying to kill you. Ehh, so you see my problem right? I want to love it, I liked the first one, but I was just not in a good place and the characters annoyed me. I say give it a try if you even remotely liked the first.

So, that's that for now. I'll have more this week I swear!

(Oh yeah, I also read Shadowfever and it was FAN-FECKING-TASTIC!
Go read the FAEFEVER series now.)

Faerie Winter Review

2011-01-17T05:56:00.004-06:00

Faerie Winter (Bones of Faeries sequel) by Janni Lee Simner

Release Date: April 5th 2011

Around the World Tours

Synopsis:(Goodreads)
The war has been over for 40 years, and finally Liza's town is accepting children born with fairy talents. Then a nearby town is destroyed, and Liza discovers that the war might not be over after all. It seems some faeries survived and have crossed over into the human world to continue the fight. And the most powerful and merciless of them all—the Queen herself—may be among them...

Liza is a Summoner. She can draw life to herself, even from beyond the grave. And because magic works both ways, she can drive life away. Months ago, she used her powers to banish her dangerous father and to rescue her mother, lost in dreams, from the ruined land of Faerie.

Born in the wake of the war between humanity and Faerie, Liza lived in a world where green things never slept, where trees sought to root in living flesh and bone. But now the forests have fallen silent. Even the evergreens’ branches are bare. Winter crops won’t grow, and the threat of starvation looms. And deep in the forest a dark, malevolent will is at work. To face it, Liza will have to find within herself something more powerful than magic alone.

Review:
I have been DYING to read this. Bones of Faerie is one of my all time faves. It combines both Faerie AND a dystopian world. Gah! It's wonderful. Well, actually it's very depressing and dangerous, but you get what I mean. It's sequel, Faerie Winter lives up to my expectations beautifully.

It wasn't enough though. I wished it could go on and on. 300-ish pages just didn't satisfy me, I felt like there could have been more. Wishful thinking I know, but the ending felt a little rushed. I was three-quarters of the way through the story before I realized that we were almost done, and I had barely gotten my fill. It's a good thing, I guess since, I just didn't want it to end.

Right from the get go we have doom and destruction. A stranger and dead children, and no idea how that came to be. Matthew, our shape-shifting hero, runs off to save the day again, only to be captured by those who would do him harm.

I don't want to give spoilers, so we'll just say that Liza and Matthew are once again in charge of saving the world. And it's in a totally believable set up. (For the world that they're living in, that is.) There are old friends and new enemies and a kind of helplessness I hope we never have to truly know.

I only gave it 4 stars and not 5 because I really felt that it could have been drug out a little longer. I was satisfied with the ending, but sad to see it so soon. If you are a fan of the Fae AND dystopian, than what are you waiting for? Faerie Winter and its predecessor, Bones of Faerie are like nothing you've ever read before. I loved them both, and hope you get the opportunity to enjoy them as well.

4/5 Stars

Tempestuous Review

2011-01-14T06:30:00.001-06:00

Tempestuous (Wondrous Strange #3) by Lesley Livingston

Release Date: December 21st 2010

Star Book Tours

Synopsis:(Goodreads)

"I don't love Sonny Flannery."

That's the lie Kelley Winslow told to protect the boy she loves from a power he doesn't know he possesses. Devastated, Sonny retreats—to a haven for Lost Fae that's hidden deep underneath New York City.

But Kelley's not about to let things end in heartbreak. To get Sonny back, she's got to find out who's after his magick—and how to use her own. She's got to uncover who's recruiting Janus Guards to murderously hunt innocent Faerie. She's got to help rebuild the shattered theater company she called family. And she's got to do it all without getting dangerously distracted by the Fennrys Wolf, whose legendary heart of stone seems to melt whenever he's around Kelley.

Review:

I have really enjoyed reading the whole Wondrous Strange trilogy, and was not disappointed in the least with the final installment.

Though Kelley is not one of my all-time favorite heroines, there is something about her that keeps me captivated. I like how even though the world is falling apart around her, she makes a point of still doing what she really loves. So yeah, the walls between man and Fae are falling down, but she still wants to be an actress, so she acts. I don't know, that probably doesn't make a ton of sense to some, but to me it means that she always has hope. That she always kept her hope that the real world would return and she'd have a place in it.

Sonny of course, is a bad-boy gone good, which makes him a great leading man. (Though I secretly wish that she would get with Fennrys.) He of course finds out about his past, who his parents are and what sort of magic comes along with that.

A great end to a great trilogy. There's a sort of happily ever after ending that happens without telling exactly what goes on with all the characters who lived. I enjoy those the most. So lots of action, romance and betray you don't see coming. If you read and enjoyed Wondrous Strange and Darklight, you won't be disappointed in Tempestuous.

5/5 Stars!

Shadowfever Preview!

2011-01-13T12:17:00.002-06:00

AHHH!!!! It's here!

Chapter's one and two are now available for preview!

Please note: these chapters will have major spoilage.
DO NOT READ them if you haven't read books #1 - #4.

We have less than 5 days left till we know what's what, and I for one, cannot wait!

So click HERE to get some Barrons hotness!

Awakened Review

2011-01-13T06:15:00.000-06:00

Awakened (House of Night #8) by P.C. and Kristin Cast

Release Date: January 4th 2011

Personal Copy

Synopsis:(Goodreads)
Exonerated by the Vampyre High Council and returned to her position of High Priestess at Tulsa’s House of Night, Neferet has sworn vengeance on Zoey. Dominion over Kalona is only one of the weapons she plans to use against Z. But Zoey has found sanctuary on the Isle of Skye and is being groomed by Queen Sgiach to take over for her there. Being Queen would be cool, wouldn’t it? Why should she return to Tulsa? After losing her human consort, Heath, she will never be the same – and her relationship with her super-hot-warrior, Stark, may never be the same either…

And what about Stevie Rae and Rephaim? The Raven Mocker refuses to be used against Stevie Rae, but what choice does he have when no one in the entire world, including Zoey, would be okay with their relationship? Does he betray his father or his heart?

In the pulse-pounding 8th book in the bestselling House of Night series, how far will the bonds of friendship stretch and how strong are the ties that bind one girl’s hear

Review:
I am so happy to say that for me, Awakened is one of the best HoN books to date! I thought we were loosing it for a while there when things got way out of control and confusing, but they brought it all together beautifully.

Awakened is all about forgiveness and redemption and love. And man did I cry like a baby. This will be a short review since I don't want to spoil the story, or even the back story since this is book #8, but it starts off with a bang and doesn't slow down.

There's some really good and happy times. Stuff that makes you smile and see how much some of the character's love each other. But there is a lot of darkness in Awakened too. Lots of sadness and despair, but come on, it's Zoey! So it's still filled with horrible teen slang and the nerd herd, but oh well.

If you've managed to stay on track with this series then you will not be disappointed in book #8. It answers ton of questions and stars the ball rolling on a new conflict, which hopefully will round out the series. Destined, book #9 will be out in November 2011 and I'm already putting it on my wish list. If you're still a fan of HoN, you will be blown away with what happens in Awakened.

4/5 Stars

Waiting on a Wednesday - Mona Lisa Eclipsing

2011-01-12T05:57:00.000-06:00

This weekly event is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Here's mine for the week:

Mona Lisa Eclipsing(Monère: Children of the Moon #7) by Sunny

Release Date: April 5th 2011

Synopsis: (Goodreads)
From the time she was an orphan, Mona Lisa knew she was different. As a Mixed-Blood daughter of the Monère, she rules her domain in the Louisiana Bayou. But she’s about to become the hunted as her mind begins playing tricks, and no one is who they seem.

Roberto Carderas, a dangerous drug lord of mixed Monère heritage, arrives in Cozumel to eliminate a rival. But the jaguar-shifter has encountered a much more valuable prize on the island: Mona Lisa, the first female Monère he’s ever met—and one especially vulnerable in that she has lost her memory. Now, with all knowledge of her real life as stripped away as her defenses, Mona Lisa can be manipulated into believing…anything.

Convinced that Roberto is her kind and sensual protector, Mona Lisa thwarts all attempts at her rescue—including those made by her desperate lover Dante. As Roberto’s devious scheme gets underway, Dante can only hope that the touch of his warm flesh will reignite total recall in the body and mind of the woman he loves. But escape for both of them could be as forever elusive as Mona Lisa’s past.

____________________________________________________

This is ADULT paranormal erotica, NOT for the under 18.

But I do LOVE the Monère series. It's is very different from everything out there. It's a little sci-fi I guess since the Monère, who are shifters, came from the moon many millenniums ago. Other than that though it is paranormal romance all the way. If you haven't yet stumbled onto PNR erotica, this is a good place to start. It isn't all smut and drama. There is a really cool background story and a plot that follows the series. Plus it keeps all the same main characters so you build more of a connections every book. If you're ready to take the plunge into some pretty steamy adult PNR I highly recommend the Monère series.

The Gathering Review

2011-01-11T12:46:00.005-06:00

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Release Date: April 12th 2011

Around The World Tours

Synopsis: (Goodreads)
Strange things are happening in Maya's tiny Vancouver Island town. First, her friend Serena, the captain of the swim team, drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. Then, one year later, mountain lions are spotted rather frequently around Maya's home—and her reactions to them are somewhat . . . unexpected. Her best friend, Daniel, has also been experiencing unexplainable premonitions about certain people and situations.

It doesn't help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret, and he's interested in one special part of Maya's anatomy—her paw-print birthmark.

Review: I had such high hopes for this new series. It has been a WoW of mine for quite some time and I was so looking forward to getting a chance at an early read. As I've said hundreds of times now, I am a lover of all things shifter, so of course I HAD to put it at the top of my TBR pile. The first half of the book convinced me that The Gathering was going to be a knock out. Unfortunately, the second half nearly made me stop reading.

I love the world Ms. Armstrong created. The town and it's people are all very imaginative and made me want to learn more about them. I love that the story is set in Canada, as a lot of the YA out right now is taking place somewhere in the US. It's neat to hear the different dialects the characters use and how even the smallest detail is described, like the currency they use. For me I felt like I was over there, and that is always a good thing.

Maya's character was really interesting. I felt a little ignorant because I wasn't very aware of Canadian Native Americans, but the whole story revolves around them and their Skin-Walker tales. It's oh so interesting. Maya knows she's from a tribe, but not which, and that is really hard on her personal identity. A lot of the story is centered on Maya trying to figure out where she is from and why things keep happening to her because of what she is. The only thing I didn't like about Maya is how self-righteous she is. I mean it's a good thing and she's a great character, but I felt she needed more flaws. Oh yeah, and it's not a Werewolf tale, just a FYI.

So the beginning of the story is great and full of actions and suspense, plus some totally hot guys, but the ending just fell flat. I get that it was supposed to be a cliffhanger, but really, I was just confused. I don't understand who or what the antagonist is, or where the conflict is going. I mean, we get a glimpse of some "bad guys" running around in a fire trying to capture people, but who are they? What do they want? What is the town really up to?

For me it didn't answer enough questions to really understand where the series is going. I hope to read the next book and go from there, since it's a really interesting concept, I like the world and the characters and I really enjoyed the paranormal aspect to said characters. I just didn't get a full grasp of where we're going. So for the first half I gave it 4 stars, but since I didn't like the ending at all, I gave that 3 stars. So lets leave it at 3.5 out of 5 stars and agree to read book 2 and hopefully love it enough to devour the entire series.

3.5/5 Stars

(Artemis Lupine #2) Kiss of a Star preview!

2011-01-10T11:49:00.002-06:00

It's finally here!

Kiss of a Star chapters 1-3 are available now for preview!

Click HERE to jump ahead.

Thanks to Ms. Catherine Banks for the sneak peak!
Hope you all enjoy.

HERE is my review of Artemis Lupine #1, I loved it.
Haven't read Song of the Moon yet? You can download it HERE at Smashwords.

Across the Universe Winner!

2011-01-03T08:59:00.004-06:00

Happy New Year!
Thanks to everyone who entered, without further adieu, the winner is:

POKADOTS1121!

Pokadots' favorite sci-fi dystopian is a tie between
The Hunger Games and The Uglies series,
but The Uglies take the cake!
Awesome choice.

I've sent you an email, you know the drill. 48 hrs and then I'll pick another winner.

Thanks for following us guys! And good luck next time!

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-24T13:50:00.002-06:00

Hope you all were good and get everything that was on your wishlist!

We're going out of town, so check back Tuesday for some more reviews.

Don't forget the Across the Universe giveaway goes until Mon. Dec. 27th!
Click HERE to enter!

Best wishes to everyone and have a happy holiday!

-MissHavoc

Waiting on a Wednesday - Darkest Mercy

2010-12-22T06:32:00.004-06:00

This weekly event is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Here's mine for the week:

Darkest Mercy (Wicked Lovely #5) by Melissa Marr

Release Date: February 22ns 2011

Synopsis:(Goodreads)

The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.

Aislinn tends to the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to strengthen his court against the coming war. Donia longs for fiery passion even as she coolly readies the Winter Court for battle. And Seth, sworn brother of the Dark King and heir to the High Queen, is about to make a mistake that could cost his life.

Love, despair, and betrayal ignite the Faery Courts, and in the final conflict, some will win . . . and some will lose everything.

The thrilling conclusion to Melissa Marr's New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series will leave readers breathless.

_______________________________________________

I don't know anyone NOT waiting on this!
The Wicked Lovely series is one of the best Fae series out there,
and with the cliffhanger we were left with in Radiant Shadows,
well, it's hard to to *squee* every time I think about it!

Anyone out there NOT read the WL series yet? You're missing out if you haven't!

So what are you waiting on this week?

*Such a lovely cover! ALL the cover's are beautiful, but this is one of my faves.

Teaser Tuesday - XVI

2010-12-21T06:19:00.000-06:00

"Teaser Tuesday" is a weekly meme hosted

by: Mizb of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can do it, here's how:

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.)

Here's my tease for the week:

XVI (Sixteen) by Julia Karr

Release Date: January 6th 2011

Page: 30

...the noise got louder and I realized that wasn't right. I strode to the top of the mound and looked down the other side.

Three guys were beating up a fourth who was curled into a ball, arms wrapped around his head. I could tell he was homeless by his clothes.

I should've turned and left, but I didn't.

_______________________________

I'm really enjoying XVI. It's a pretty twisted dystopian, where at 16 girls are free to have sex, as in, any guy can force it on them and that's normal. Nina is 15 and terrified of her birthday, just weeks away. You all know I love a good twisted dystopian, XVI is just up my alley!

Dead Reckoning Chapter One!

2010-12-20T17:11:00.003-06:00

Happy Holidays for us!

Chapter 1: Dead Reckoning (Sookie Stackhouse #11) is now up on Charlaine Harris' website.

Click HERE to jump to the right page.

So excited for this.We're almost done with the series,and since Dead in the Family wasn't the best, (it was more of a "filler") I'm looking forward to finding out where this story is going to end.
Yay for Eric! (So hot!) And maybe we'll get Sookie and Sam at that wedding they were supposed to go to in the last book. Not to mention what's up with Alcide and how Eric is doing without his daddy. Oh yeah, and Claude and Dermot...those hot Fae boys. Anyway, (ramble over) go read chapter 1 and let me know what you think.

The Lost Saint Review

2010-12-20T05:26:00.002-06:00

The Lost Saint (Dark Divine #2) by Bree Despain

Release Date: December 28th 2010 - EgmontUSA

Around The World Tours

Synopsis:(Goodreads)
Grace Divine made the ultimate sacrifice to cure Daniel Kalbi. She was infected with the werewolf curse while trying to save him, and lost her beloved brother in the process.

Desperate to find Jude, Grace befriends Talbot, a newcomer to town. But as the two grow closer, Grace’s relationship with Daniel is put in danger — in more ways than one.

Unaware of the dark path she is walking, Grace begins to give into the wolf inside of her — not realizing that an enemy has returned and a deadly trap is about to be sprung.

Bree Despain delivers sizzling romance and thrilling action in the heart-pounding sequel to The Dark Divine.

Review:
I'm afraid to say I was a little disappointed. I loved The Dark Divine so much and had such high hopes for The Lost Saint, but for me, it just didn't get there.

I found Grace to be very annoying and needy in TLS. In the beginning Grace was just so insecure. It was all, "poor me, I can't do anything. I just want to be normal so my boyfriend will love me, but I'm not normal so woe is me..." Gah! She was so strong in TDD, and I just couldn't enjoy TLS with her acting this way.

So finally she starts acting like normal, strong willed Grace and goes all superhero with a new boy, which causes some tension with everyone else in her life. And lets not get into the way she acted and/or reacted to what Daniel was doing, which was very "bad girlfriend" to me. I had hoped that she wouldn't put up with some things, but she just tried to make two wrongs a right. I don't know, it just wasn't working for me.Then she's so trustful of people she shouldn't be and it leads her astray.

I did however LOVE the ending, and the complicated mess we are left with. I'm so going to read the last of the trilogy, since hopefully everything will work out. It wasn't one of my favorites, but I've heard other people loved it. I think it's just that I have no tolerance for needy and co-dependent characters. I need my heroines to be strong and independent and make the right choices when it comes to such obvious options. I know this is what makes stories interesting, but I'm really over these love-triangles and forcing complicated relationships to work out when they really seem unhealthy to me.

Sorry about that rant. The story overall was great. It ties up some loose ends from TDD and leads up to a thrilling conclusion in the final chapter. There was a ton of action and intrigue and even a little double-crossing. I loved the final scene and am looking forward to finding out what's going to happen with Daniel and Grace and Jude. Other than the MC bugging me, this was a great read. So, with that said, if you liked TDD, check out TLS and let me know what you think.

3.5/5 Stars

Blood and Flowers Review

2010-12-17T05:25:00.000-06:00

Blood & Flowers by Penny Blubaugh

Release Date: March 1st 2011 - HarperTeen

Star Book Tours

Synopsis:(Goodreads)
Three years ago, Persia ran away from her drug-addict parents and found a home with the Outlaws, an underground theater troupe. With time, this motley band of mortals and fey, puppeteers and actors, becomes the loving family Persia never had, and soon Persia not only discovers a passion for theater but also falls in love with one of the other Outlaws. Life could not be more perfect.

Until an enemy makes an unfair accusation against the group and forces them to flee their world and hide in the neighboring realm of Faerie. But in Faerie, all is not flowers and rainbows. With bloodthirsty trolls, a hostile monarchy, and a dangerous code of magic, the fey world is far from the safe haven the Outlaws had hoped for....

Following up her critically acclaimed Serendipity Market, Penny Blubaugh has created a beautiful and mysterious world where anything can happen—especially what you least expect.

Review:
Well truth be told, I had a hard time getting through this book. The beginning was a little slow and confusing.

Actually, the book was sorta confusing. I didn't understand what was going on other than they were putting on a somewhat illegal play. Then there was a jilted lover and accusations of Fae drug trafficking and "oh no, we might go to jail!". So then they ran away to Faerie where they just started putting on a new play.

In the world Ms. Blubaugh created, man and Fae live together, but they are not equals. Blood and Flowers, to me, seemed like it tried for political intrigue, but all I got was a bunch of puppeteers trying to outrun some bogus trial. Then we get to Faerie, and the one Fae in the troupe has family issues, and the troubles start all over again.

There's another Outlaw member with unwanted affections, a tyrannical ruling class and a "do or die" play that will either get them banished forever from Faerie or will impress said tyrannical rulers enough to let them stay.

It wasn't bad, and there were parts that I thought were great, like Persia the MC loved to make books. She bound all sorts of journals and menus and programs for their plays. I loved how it was all described, it sounded fun. And Floss, the Fae of their group made fantastical puppets. They sounded so beautiful, I wish I could go see one of their productions. Then, Persia would stop at important parts and, almost like she's talking to the reader, list what was going on. At first it annoyed me, like "this is what might be said at important troupe meeting" but after a while I kinda liked it. It let you understand what was going on without some long drawn out scene.

So, there were parts I really enjoyed, and others where I was lost. All in all, not a bad story. Not, something I loved, but it wasn't terrible. I wish there had been more action, or at least bigger consequences for those jilted lovers, but alas, it read more MG in the action/violence/romance department. I think if you are into theater, and the Fae, you might truly enjoy Blood and Flowers.

3/5 Stars

Waiting on a Wednesday - Shadowfever (adult)

2010-12-15T05:35:00.000-06:00

This weekly event is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Here's mine for the week:

Shadowfever (Fever #5) by Karen Marie Moning

Release Date: January 18th 2011

Synopsis: (Goodreads)
In Dreamfever, Karen Marie Moning has left listeners with the most heart-stopping cliff-hanger to date. Shadowfever will answer all the questions fans have been dying to know in the final chapter of MacKayla Lane's shockingly suspenseful and deeply satisfying adventure.

____________________________

Gah! I am totally obsessed with this series!
I just finished book 4: Dreamfever last week, and I'm biting my nails in anticipation of book 5.
Karen Moning is like the QUEEN of cliffhangers. Man, it's been rough. Don't know how those of you who've read this series from the beginning handle it.
Of course this is an adult paranormal read, so ex-nay on the under 18.
I wish I had someone to go to NOLA with for the release party, it sounds epic! (I'm only 4 hrs away!) But alas, I will just have to wait patiently and then download it at midnight,and then stay up all the next day reading, that's my plan anyways.
If you haven't read this series yet you should, it's awesome. Darkfever, Blookfever, Faefever, Dreamfever and then last but not least Shadowfever.
Go read them now, you won't be sorry.

Teaser Tuesday - The Lost Saint

2010-12-14T05:22:00.004-06:00

"Teaser Tuesday" is a weekly meme hosted

by: Mizb of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can do it, here's how:

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.)

Here's my tease for the week:

The Lost Saint by Bree Despain

Release Date: December 28th 2010

Page: 69

"Yuh." He trembled in my arms.

"It's okay." [...]

"It's okay. I'm here. I'll protect you...I promise."

_____________________________

I love just giving you little glimpses, I am such a tease!

Anyway, LOVED The Dark Divine, and cannot wait to finish book 2: The Lost Saint. It's release is just around the corner so don't forget to pre-order. HERE is my review for The Dark Divine. Stay turned later in the week for my review of The Lost Saint.

So what's your tease this week?

Across the Universe Giveaway!

2010-12-13T10:15:00.002-06:00

So you wanna win Across the Universe by Beth Revis?

Well lucky for you then, since I have an extra ARC copy!

Super easy contest.

Leave a comment listing your favorite sci-fi dystopian novel,
mine is The Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness,
but Across the Universe is a close second.

You can also tweet about it for an extra entry.

Please make sure you leave a way I can get in touch, i.e. email or twitter account.

Sorry guys, but this is US ONLY!

This'll run from today (Dec. 13th) to Dec. 27th,
which gives you two weeks.
That way I can get it out to the winner before it releases in stores.

That's it! Good luck!

The Demon Trapper's Daughter Review

2010-12-13T05:26:00.001-06:00

The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver

Release Date: February 1st 2011 - St. Martin's Griffin

Library Thing Early Reviewers

Synopsis:(Goodreads)
Riley Blackthorne just needs a chance to prove herself – and that’s exactly what the demons are counting on…

Seventeen-year-old Riley, the only daughter of legendary Demon Trapper, Paul Blackthorne, has always dreamed of following in her father's footsteps. The good news is, with human society seriously disrupted by economic upheaval and Lucifer increasing the number of demons in all major cities, Atlanta’s local Trappers’ Guild needs all the help they can get – even from a girl. When she’s not keeping up with her homework or trying to manage her growing crush on fellow apprentice, Simon, Riley’s out saving distressed citizens from foul-mouthed little devils – Grade One Hellspawn only, of course, per the strict rules of the Guild. Life’s about as normal as can be for the average demon-trapping teen.

But then a Grade Five Geo-Fiend crashes Riley’s routine assignment at a library, jeopardizing her life and her chosen livelihood. And, as if that wasn’t bad enough, sudden tragedy strikes the Trappers’ Guild, spinning Riley down a more dangerous path than she ever could have imagined. As her whole world crashes down around her, who can Riley trust with her heart – and her life?

Review:
So I've been in a reading slump lately. Seems like that's been going around. I keep seeing all these books I want to read, so I sign up on every book tour I'm interested in. Then I get slammed with book and it becomes a chore to read three books in one week. By then I don't even want to read any of them, and then I have a really hard time trying to get into them.

Lately that's been turning into a huge pile of DNFs (did not finish). I hate DNFs. I feel like I wasted the authors time, or the publishers money because I couldn't even bring myself to finish it, let alone write a "real" review.

So when I got four books on Monday, guess what I did? I started reading the ONE book that didn't have a time limit on it. I'm so glad I did.

I ended up staying up all night to finish The Demon Trapper's Daughter in one sitting. I'm thinking it totally helped get me out of my reading slump.

I've been really sick of the "Heaven vs. Hell" love stories. YA themes tend to come in waves, so one month it's ALL Vampires, then Werewolves and lately it's been Angels and/or Demons. So, while The Demon Trapper's Daughter had both, they were done correctly in my mind.

Bad Demons. Good Angels (kinda). The protagonist was a NORMAL teenage girl, so it was really believable. Throw in some kinda, sorta zombie-raising necromancers and then add the dystopian-esque world that it's set in and it was an all around win/win situation.

Then, of course, there's the TONS of potential boy-toys. I loved that there wasn't a black or white love triangle. There's the best friend, Peter, who might really like Riley more than friends. The sweet and all around good Catholic Demon Trapper, Simon, who's real boyfriend material. The hot and mysterious Ori, who we know nothing about, and last, but oh certainly not least, Beck. The older guy, who feels the need to step in and take care of Riley when her world falls apart. Turns out though, they start to help each other through the devastating turns that life throws at them. What's a girl to do?

That's one of many questions answered, or left unanswered for book 2 to pick up with. I'm so excited for this new series. It's really fresh and inventive, and I'm loving the characters already. I can't wait to see what's going to happen to Riley and co. What do the Demon's really want with her. Where the heck did the Angels popped in from and is she ever going to make journeyman? There's alot going on, but I loved every minute of it. And just an FYI, I totally cried in some parts, it was intense.

If you've been looking for just the right Demon/Angel/end of the world type of book, look no further than The Demon Trapper's Daughter, it has it all.

5/5 Stars!

Holy Crap! Look @ this!

2010-12-11T15:50:00.002-06:00

Isn't this remarkable? Wow...I am so inspired.

Want your own copy? Click HERE.

I'm thinking of getting this for myself for x-mas.
It's so neat!
Just thought I'd let you all in on this masterpiece.

Across the Universe Review

2010-12-10T05:30:00.000-06:00

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Release Date: January 11th 2011 - Razorbill

Synopsis: (Goodreads)
A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone--one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship--tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

Review:
I don't really know what to say. I LOVED it. I mean, come on! It's Sci-fi dystopian! That's like, hands down, my favorite genre. Especially when there's a romance thrown in. Ever read the Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness? MY FAVE! So, of course I'd love Across the Universe.

I really loved the darkness that Beth brought out. How hopeless their situation was, but how no one knew it. How life and death really didn't matter on the ship. It was all a means to an end. I like dark and twisted. It makes you think, and Across the Universe really made me sit down and think about life and the world we're living in now.

The ending was a HUGE shocker, but I loved it, and can't wait to see what'll happen in book 2. There's a ton answered in book 1, but also alot is brought up for book 2 and 3 to go off of. I think the series has a ton of potential.

Elder was my favorite character. I really liked how different he was, and he knew it. He was so curious and it caused such discord, but that's all he wanted. Just a little chaos.

Eldest was really, really creepy and I just wanted him to die already! Just kidding, not really, but he was a piece of work.

I think Across the Universe is a very original take on the whole science fiction teen romance. There's a ton of mystery, and alot of action, but the character's relationships are what drives the story, in my mind at least.

I think you should try it out. Even if you don't do sci-fi OR dystopian, I think it speaks to everyone, and there'll be something you can take away from it.

Want to read Chapter 1? Click HERE.

5/5 Stars!

Dust City Review

2010-12-09T05:29:00.000-06:00

Dust City by Robert Paul Weston

Release Date: September 30th 2010

Synopsis: (Goodreads)
Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?

His son, that's who.

Ever since his father's arrest for the murder of Little Red Riding Hood, teen wolf Henry Whelp has kept a low profile in a Home for Wayward Wolves . . . until a murder at the Home leads Henry to believe his father may have been framed.

Now, with the help of his kleptomaniac roommate, Jack, and a daring she-wolf named Fiona, Henry will have to venture deep into the heart of Dust City; a rundown, gritty metropolis where fairydust is craved by everyone and controlled by a dangerous mob of Water Nixies and their crime boss leader, Skinner.

Can Henry solve the mystery of his family's sinister past? Or, like his father before him, is he destined for life as a big bad wolf?

Review: I went into this thinking that, since I love all things faerie, this remake of Little Red Ridding-hood would be great.

Thing is, I don't really like mysteries. Even paranormal ones. I feel a little hypocritical saying that, since I LOVE the Sookie Stackhouse series, and that's a paranormal mystery series. But it has a TON of romance in it, plus there's Eric so I'm all good.

Dust City however, really didn't have any romance. There was a hint of a leading lady, but 100 pages in and no sign of her? I'm done. So I stopped reading.

I think others will really enjoy this tale though. It was done really well and was a great concept. It's a big "who done it" with character's like Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk and Snow White, who's a detective. I loved that aspect of it.

I think I'm just in the mood for romances right now, so this just wasn't enough. I gave it three stars, even though I didn't finish it. I really want people who enjoy paranormal mysteries, or MG readers getting into the paranormal to read this. I think they will absolutely love it. It just wasn't enough for me.

Waiting on a Wednesday - Yours, Mine and Howls (adult)

2010-12-08T05:52:00.004-06:00

This weekly event is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

For this week my WoW is:

Yours, Mine and Howls by Kinsey Holley

Release Date: February 8th 2011 (Samhain Publishing)

Synopsis:
There isn't no yet. But let me just say: Hot alpha Werewolf, a baby, and a TON of nannies. That's what I'm getting out of this. You can actually read a few of the nanny accounts at Kinsey's blog. They introduce a few of the main characters and build up to the story. So far there are three accounts so far and each one is better than the last. Go check them out, if you like 'em then you should be giddy over YMAH. I know I am.

Here's an update from Ms. Holley:

[Update 10/12/10: For first time visitors here: Welcome! My first full length novel, Yours, Mine and Howls, will be published by Samhain in Feb. 2011. Between now and then, I'm posting mini-prequels starring the hero of YMAH, Cade MacDougall. As for the heroine, Ally -- you'll have to wait to meet her. She's in Louisiana, working with horses and taking care of her young cousin and being generally unprepared for the way Cade's going to upend her life. I hope you'll want to read more about them in February!]

Becca Comes Home

Nanny No. 1: Celine

Nanny No. 2: Ingrid

Nanny No. 3: Mrs. Poe (Nov. 15)

Nanny No. 4: Mrs. Lawrence (Dec. 15)

Nanny No. 5: Mrs. Palmer (Jan. 15)

- all other nannies have been pushed back, but we're waiting as patiently as we can...

Teaser Tuesday - The Demon Trapper's Daughter

2010-12-07T09:35:00.004-06:00

"Teaser Tuesday" is a weekly meme hosted

by: Mizb of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can do it, here's how:

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.)

Here's my tease for the week:

The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver

Release Date: February 1st 2011 - St. Martin's Griffin

Synopsis:- in case you haven't heard of this title yet (Goodreads)

Riley Blackthorne just needs a chance to prove herself – and that’s exactly what the demons are counting on…

Page:146

"Riley? Are you okay?"

"Sick..."

"What happened?" the voice asked

"They...stole it."

"Stole what?"

"Demon got me...Sorry. You were...right."

She flipped it closed and let the phone fall next to her on the bed, knowing that Beck would find her body and bury her next to her parents.

No vigil needed.

_____________________________________________

So, whatcha think? Sounds pretty cool huh?
I won my copy from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers.
I'm pretty excited to start in on it.
Sorry I left you with such a cliffhanger, but you know how I roll.
So what's your tease for the week?

Slayed Review

2010-12-02T06:52:00.002-06:00

Slayed by Amanda Marrone

Release Date: October 5th 2010

Star Book Tours

Synopsis: (Goodreads)
The Van Helsing family has been hunting vampires for over one hundred years, but sixteen-year-old Daphne wishes her parents would take up an occupation that doesn’t involve decapitating vamps for cash.

All Daphne wants is to settle down in one place, attend an actual school, and finally find a BFF to go to the mall with.
Instead, Daphne has resigned herself to a life of fast food, cheap motels and buying garlic in bulk.

But when the Van Helsings are called to a coastal town in Maine, Daphne’s world is turned upside down.

Not only do the Van Helsings find themselves hunting a terrifying new kind of vampire (one without fangs but with a taste for kindergarten cuisine), Daphne meets her first potential BF!

The hitch?

Her new crush is none other than Tyler Harker, AKA, the son of the rival slayer family.

What's a teen vampire slayer to do?

Review:
So cute. I Really enjoyed Slayed. I found it rather light and entertaining, but it still had a great back story.

I loved the idea of the rival Hunter families, and that they were descendants of those who did away with Dracula. It was just a really well executed take on the modern "hunter legacy".

I felt so bad for Daphne. She just wanted a normal life, but had no idea how to go about that while she lived in motels and practiced arcane vampire slaying tactics. What's girl a have to do to go to the prom?!

Kiki aka Maybelle aka Daphne's new BFF was hilarious and the girls had great chemistry together. I also thought Kiki's back story was brilliant! I mean her parents are famous hippies in a children's music show. (think Yo Gabba Gabba on pink steroids) I mean come on, The Disco Unicorns!? Classic!

Slayed was just a sweet little vampire killing spree with some demons and girl-power thrown in for good measure. It was a quick read and I think if you're feeling like a fun and entertaining vampire novel, Slayed is just for you.

3.5/5 Stars!

Teaser Tuesday - The Demon's Surrender

2010-11-30T06:15:00.001-06:00

"Teaser Tuesday" is a weekly meme hosted

by: Mizb of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can do it, here's how:

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.)

Here's my tease for the week:

The Demon's Surrender (Demon's Lexicon #3)
by Sarah Rees Brennan

Release Date: May 2011

______________________________

OK, where the hell have I been?! I didn't even know the cover for book #3 was out let alone chapter 1 was posted!

So, as a little treat to those of you, like me, who haven't seen this yet, I'm going to post the link for chapter 1.

Click HERE for all the awesomeness!

And lets not forget out utterly GORGEOUS this cover is!

A Touch Mortal Review

2010-11-29T05:48:00.000-06:00

A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford

Release Date: February 22nd 2011

Around the World Tours

Synopsis: (Goodreads)
Eden didn’t expect Az.

Not his saunter down the beach toward her. Not his unbelievable pick up line. Not the instant, undeniable connection. And not his wings.

Yeah.

So long happily-ever-after.

Now trapped between life and death, cursed to spread chaos with her every touch, Eden could be the key in the eternal struggle between heaven and hell. All because she gave her heart to one of the Fallen, an angel cast out of heaven.

She may lose everything she ever had. She may be betrayed by those she loves most. But Eden will not be a pawn in anyone else’s game. Her heart is her own.

And that’s only the beginning of the end.

Review:
In the beginning I didn't like A Touch Mortal. It's definitely NOT a typical "angel love story". I liked that about it though.

I just didn't like the suicide part in the beginning. I mean, I get why and everything, and that's what the story's about, but it was still a little dark for me, especially with the angels involved.
I don't know, it seemed wrong, but totally unique and unexpected.

Really cool take on angels and the afterlife and all that good stuff. Loved the characters, and the love triangle was done perfectly.

I was a little confused when we were first introduced to the "touch" and having it explained, but once I saw it in action everything cleared up.

Love, loss, betrayed, sacrifice, A Touch Mortal has it all. I think this is going to be a great series, and definitely not like anything out there right now. If you're looking for bad ass angels done right, this is just for you.

4/5 Stars!

The Iron Queen Review

2010-11-25T05:26:00.001-06:00

The Iron Queen (Iron Fey #3) by Julie Kagawa

Release Date: February 1st 2011

Netgalley

Synopsis: (Goodreads)
My name is Meaghan Chase.

I thought it was over.That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stay by my side. Drag me into the core of a conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.

This time, there will be no turning back.

Review: Yeah for the Iron Fey! I LOVE this series, it's just so awesome.

So this is the third installment of the Iron Fey and let me just tell you, holy cow! So not what I was expecting.

With the final fight for Faery just around the corner, Megan has to face her greatest fears and embrace who she really is. With the love of her life, Ash and her best friend Puck with her, Megan must trek through the Iron Realm one last time to defeat the false king.

With non-stop action, a beautiful love story and a very unexpected ending, the Iron Queen is my favorite so far. But it doesn't end there! Stay tuned for a fourth story, yes you heard me right. The Iron Knight: Ash's story is due out soon from Harlequin Teen! Yeah for us!

This is a thrilling "conclusion" to the Iron Fey trilogy, but since it's now more a series I can't wait for more! If you love the Iron Fey like I do, then you'll just adore the Iron Queen. And if you're a fellow blogger, hop on over to Netgalley to request your own copy for review!

5/5 Stars!

Waiting on a Wednesday -

2010-11-24T06:06:00.001-06:00

This weekly event is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

For this week my WoW is:

Faerie Winter by Janni Lee Simner

Release Date: April 5th 2011

Synopsis: (Goodreads)
The war has been over for 40 years, and finally Liza's town is accepting children born with fairy talents. Then a nearby town is destroyed, and Liza discovers that the war might not be over after all. It seems some faeries survived and have crossed over into the human world to continue the fight. And the most powerful and merciless of them all—the Queen herself—may be among them...

Liza is a Summoner. She can draw life to herself, even from beyond the grave. And because magic works both ways, she can drive life away. Months ago, she used her powers to banish her dangerous father and to rescue her mother, lost in dreams, from the ruined land of Faerie.

Born in the wake of the war between humanity and Faerie, Liza lived in a world where green things never slept, where trees sought to root in living flesh and bone. But now the forests have fallen silent. Even the evergreens’ branches are bare. Winter crops won’t grow, and the threat of starvation looms. And deep in the forest a dark, malevolent will is at work. To face it, Liza will have to find within herself something more powerful than magic alone.

Here at last is the sequel to Bones of Faerie, for all those fans of dark fantasy and dystopian adventure who thrilled to Janni Lee Simner’s unique vision of a post-apocalyptic world infused with magic.

__________________________________________

Faerie Winter is the long anticipated sequel to Janni Lee Simner's The Bones of Faerie.
I loved Bones of Faerie and am looking forward to reading the next installment.

In this dystopian world, life as we know it wasn't destroyed by some natural event, or even the stupidity of man. No, the Apocalypse came in the form of the Fae. Who released the wrath of nature on us, hell bent on destroying us for good. For those who survived, danger lurks around every corner. Every leaf, tree or rock has the potential to cut you down where you stand. And with every child born since the day the war began, new powers are rising.

LOVE IT!
Dystopian and the Fae, two of my faves. I'm sure you'll love it too.

Teaser Tuesday - Iron Queen

2010-11-23T06:02:00.001-06:00

"Teaser Tuesday" is a weekly meme hosted

by: Mizb of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can do it, here's how:

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.)

Here's my tease for the week:

The Iron Queen (Iron Fey #3) by Julie Kagawa

Release Date: February 1st 2011

Page: 180

I took a quiet breath and hoped I wasn't sending Ash and Puck straight to their deaths.

"Tonight."

As soon as I said it, I shivered violently and crossed my arms to hide my terror.

"The sooner I go, the better. I guess it's time."

____________________________

I LOVE IT!

The Iron Fey are awesome and The Iron Queen is no exception.
Look for my review on Thursday! and also, book #4 The Iron Knight coming soon!

Werewolf Week Giveaway Winner!

2010-11-22T19:31:00.004-06:00

So slacking on my part... but we have a winner!

#8 -elaing8

I've already emailed her and she's already chosen which Werewolf inspired story she'd like to have:

Elaine liked mine, as well as others' reviews of Lunarmorte by Sam Young and so that's what she'll get.

Thanks for participating, and check back for more giveaways coming soon!

Wither Review

2010-11-22T13:23:00.000-06:00

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Release Date: March 22nd 2011

Around The World Tours

Synopsis: (Goodreads)
What if you knew exactly when you would die?

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limited time she has left.

Review:
Wow. That about sums up Wither.

Also, though this is a YA novel, and it's clearly labled 14+ it is definetly for mature audiences. It's very dark and twisted and has a lot of death, sickness, polygamy and underage sex. So for those parents out there, really, this one's NOT for the 12 and under.

OK, back to my review.

I LOVED it! Rhine was a very believable and relateable character. I just felt for her the moment we met. Well, were introduced to her, as she's thrown into the back of a van. At times terrifying at others hopeful, Wither is a tale of one girls search for a new beginning.

I don't really know where to go with this review. I don't want to say what happens and ruin it for others. But I also don't really know how to explain how I felt about it. It really wasn't like anything I've ever read. DeStefano didn't shy away from the darker aspects for her world, and I liked the story more for that. But at the same time, a lot of it turned my stomach. I get why the story had to take those turns, but as a parent sometimes I cringed. (like a kidnapped 13 yr old pregnant wife - ugg)

Wither really made me think, and be greatfull for the world we live in now. I am really looking forward for the next book, and cannot wait to see what happens with Rhine and co.

If you enjoyed other dystopian love stories and can stomach darker themes, then this one's for you.

4/5 Stars!

Crusade Review

2010-11-18T09:00:00.001-06:00

Crusade by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie

Release Date: Sept. 7th 2010

Star Book Tours - ARC

Synopsis: (Goodreads)
The ultimate battle. The ultimate love.

For the past two years, Jenn has lived and trained at Spain's Sacred Heart Academy Against the Cursed Ones. She is among the few who have pledged to defend humanity or die trying. But the vampires are gaining power, and the battle has only just begun.

Forced to return home after death takes a member of her family, Jenn discovers that San Francisco is now a vampire strong-hold. As a lone hunter apart from her team, Jenn is isolated—and at risk. She craves the company of her fighting partner, Antonio: his protection, his reassurance, his touch. But a relationship with Antonio comes with its own dangers, and the more they share of themselves, the more Jenn stands to lose.

Then Jenn is betrayed by one who was once bound to protect her, causing her to doubt all she had held as true. To survive, Jenn must find the courage to trust herself—and her heart

Review:
I first read about Jenn and Antonio in the novella Passing which was first published in '09 in the anthology The Eternal Kiss. So when I heard they were writing a full length novel/series I was so on board! If you like all things vampire then there's no way you won't enjoy this story.

In a world where Vampires have started taking over the world, only a select few students have what it takes to become Vampire Hunters. "Just Jenn", as she calls herself, is one of a group of five hunters. She along with Jamie, a very angry Irishman, are the only non-supernaturals in their group. Skye's a witch, Holgar's a werewolf, Antonio's a vampire and Eriko is the mystical "Hunter" who's endowed with super-human gifts. These five are all that stands between the survival of man-kind and total annihilation.

When Jenn is betrayed by one she loves, the rest of the hunter's are forced to fly to New Orleans to help rescue her.

Since I read the novella I felt like I knew the characters more. I knew more of the back story and so I really enjoyed where the characters were going. I wasn't surprised by anything, but still thoroughly enjoyed myself. I look forward to the next installment and to find out what happens next. I recommend Crusade to anyone looking for a fun vampire read.

4/5 Stars

Artemis Lupine update!

2010-11-18T08:22:00.004-06:00

Just a little FYI:

Song of the Moon is now available as an e-book!

That's right, you can now order your own copy from Smashwords for $4.99.

Not bad really. So click HERE for the direct link.

My Soul to Steal (Soul Screamers #4) Review

2010-11-15T05:53:00.000-06:00

My Soul to Steal (Soul Screamers #4) by Rachel Vincent

Release Date: Jan. 1st 2011

Around the Wold Tours - ARC

Synopsis: (Goodreads)
YOU WANT MY SOUL AND MY BOYFRIEND?

Trying to work things out with Nash—her maybe boyfriend—is hard enough for Kaylee Cavanaugh. She can’t just pretend nothing happened. But “complicated” doesn’t even begin to describe their relationship when his ex-girlfriend transfers to their school, determined to take Nash back.

See, Sabine isn’t just an ordinary girl. She’s a mara, the living personification of a nightmare. She can read people’s fears—and craft them into nightmares while her victims sleep. Feeding from human fear is how she survives.

And Sabine isn’t above scaring Kaylee and the entire school to death to get whatever—and whoever—she wants.

I DON’T THINK SO.

Review:
I love the Soul Screamers series, they're great. However, I didn't enjoy MSTSt (My Soul to Steal) as much as the last three books, and nowhere near as much as I enjoyed MSTL (My Soul to Lose).

There just wasn't enough action for me. It was all drama, stupid high school boy drama. I'm just not into that, or love-triangles. And the one in MSTSt was just a bit much. I found myself rooting for Nash and Kaylee to finally just break-up so she and Tod can get together. (What! but that's what I want. No? Oh, maybe it's just me.)

I liked the introduction of new characters and new Netherworld species. I Love all the old characters and I really enjoyed watching them struggle with the aftermath of MSTL. (I'm not sadistic I swear!) You could really feel them suffering and could totally understand why they acted the way they did. I love it when characters do that.

So even thought MSTSt is not my favorite of the series so far, I'm still really excited to keep reading more. Can't wait to find out what happens in If I Die!

3.5/5 Stars

Entwined Review

2010-11-12T05:53:00.000-06:00

Entwined by Heather Dixon

Release Date: March 29th 2011

Around the World Tours - ARC

Synopsis: (Goodreads)
Azalea and her younger sisters dance in the mysterious silver forest every night, escaping from the sadness of the palace and their father’s grief.

What they don’t understand—although as time passes they begin to get an inkling of the danger they are in—is that the mysterious and dashing Keeper is tightening his snare with deadly purpose.

Luckily, Azalea is brave and steadfast. Luckily, a handsome young army captain also has his eye on Azalea. . . .

Lush, romantic, and compelling, this debut novel by Heather Dixon will thrill fans of Shannon Hale, Robin McKinley, and Edith Pattou.

Review:
I'm not really sure what to say about Entwined. It was definitely like nothing I've ever read before.

I guess if I had to describe it I would call it more of a historical fantasy. I mean there's a castle and some princesses, and lets not forget about the crazy, evil king with actual magic. It's essentially a re-telling of The Twelve Dancing Sisters.

I thought it was lovely and very original. Plus there's lots of dancing, some romance and tons of familial love.

I'd say it's about one family's struggle to find happiness in light of tragedy. Though we can't forget about mysterious men and magical hidden passages. I really enjoyed it. You might too. If you like fantasy with an little bit of romance thrown in, or like me you can't pass up a fairy-tale re-telling, you're sure to find something in Entwined to love.

4/5 Stars

Halo Review

2010-11-11T05:53:00.000-06:00

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

Release date: Aug. 31st 2010

Star Book Tours - ARC

Synopsis: (Goodreads)
Nothing much happens in the sleepy town of Venus Cove. But everything changes when three angels are sent from heaven to protect the town against the gathering forces of darkness: Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, a teenage girl who is the least experienced of the trio. They work hard to conceal their true identity and, most of all, their wings.

But the mission is threatened when the youngest angel, Bethany, is sent to high school and falls in love with the handsome school captain, Xavier Woods. Will she defy the laws of Heaven by loving him? Things come to a head when the angels realize they are not the only supernatural power in Venus Cove. There′s a new kid in town and he′s charming, seductive and deadly. Worst of all, he′s after Beth.

Reviews:
When I first stared reading Halo I couldn't put it down. I was really interested in how the angels where taking to their new lives. Then I couldn't get enough of Bethany and Xavier. Their love was cute and I just wanted to read more and more.

However, after the first half of the book I was a little bored. The bad guy doesn't even show up until the last third of the book and the only action I was really into didn't happen until the last quarter. I was really hopeing for a little more.

It was a good start to a sweet romance though. Halo is a very cute seraphim love story. If you like sweet nothings and angels I'm sure you'll enjoy it very much.

Halo was a wonderful light read and I look forward to the story continuing.

3/5 Stars

Waiting on a Wednesday - Die For Me

2010-11-10T05:41:00.000-06:00

This weekly event is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

For this week my WoW is:

Die For Me by Amy Plum

Release Date: 05/10/2011

Synopsis: DIE FOR ME is the first of three books about Kate, a sixteen-year-old American who moves to Paris after the death of her parents. She finds herself falling for Vincent, who she discovers is not the typical French teenager he appears: he is something else entirely.

Here's the back cover:
(grabbed these from the authors website.)

AND the inside flap:

I'm pretty excited for this new trilogy. It sound really interesting and mystierious enough to catch my attention. Have you hear anything about this debut series? Want to know more? Check out HarperCollins for more info. So what are you all waiting for this week?

Lunarmorte Winner!

2010-11-08T05:55:00.001-06:00

And the winner is......

#10 : Jamie with Writers write, right?!

CONGRATS Jamie!

You all should check out his blog, it's pretty frackin' awesome.
(yes, that's a BSG reference)

Thanks everyone for entering and a huge thanks to Sam Young for the copy!
If you didn't win this time, no worries, we have another giveaway going on right now.
Click HERE to enter for your chance to win ANY Werewolf book you want!
jmanni32@yahoo.com

In My Mailbox (16)

2010-11-07T04:45:00.000-06:00

In my Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by the lovely Story Siren,
where we show all of our goodies to you! (Not like that!)

We let you know what we've got to read for the week
and get to meet other bloggers through Mr. Linky.

You can head on over there HERE and sign up to do your own mail boxing if you'd like.
Here's what I have for this week AND last week:

Oh yeah! So good!

These are great too! I'm so excited to get some reviews up to you!

So what did you get for this week?

Blog #Fail!

2010-11-06T12:36:00.006-05:00

So yes, I am a failure.
I am so sorry that it's been over a week since I've logged on.
Werewolf Week was cut short due to unforeseen Halloween trick or treating.

We decided last minute to take a 6 hr drive to Corpus Christi so we could trick or treat with the Hubby while he's working out of town. And yes I brought my laptop, but they wanted $10 a day for WiFi. Sorry, I'm cheap.

Then we got home and my 4 yr old had speech therapy testing which turned into "hurry up and enroll him today in pre-K". So then my baby was going to school and it was a mad rush to get everything ready.

Let me tell you, it was so much easier having this sprung on us, then having a lot of time to work up to it. I didn't cry, my son didn't cry, he was begging me to let him go. And he had a blast. Looking forward to next week!

That's what's been going on this week and why I've managed such a huge #fail.

So, to make up to you, I'm still going to do the Werewolf Week giveaway.

Open internationally (if Book Depository will ship to you)
One entry per person
One winner

You'll get to pick whichever Werewolf related book you want. Any one. You pick.

So leave a comment with your email and I'll pick a winner next Sat.
Thanks for sticking around guys. We love you!

Also, I'll announce the winner of Lunarmorte on Monday, so stick around for that and tons more reviews in the weeks to come.

Thanks again guys, you rock!

-MissHavoc

Werewolf Week: Author Interview

2010-10-28T06:44:00.001-05:00

Thanks for stopping in!
Today we have another great little interview with Catherine Banks.
Catherine is the author of the Artemis Lupine series, which include Songs of the Moon and the soon to be released sequel Kiss of a Star.
Thanks for joining us for Werewolf Week Ms. Banks!
OK, now on to the interview.

Q: So why did you choose to write about werewolves?

A: For the past five or so years the big seller has been vampires, but for me, I’ve always loved werewolves. I tried to find some werewolf books, but the shelves seemed to be overflowing with vampire novels. I feel that werewolves are overlooked as main characters, especially in the young adult genre. In order to add more books with werewolves as main characters, I started writing my own.

Q: What makes your wolves so different from the other stereotypical "wolf man" werewolf?

A: There are a few differences in the werewolves in my stories from others that I’ve read. One difference is that there are three ways to become a werewolf in mine: 1. Bitten; 2. Born (only needing one werewolf parent to give you the gene); and 3. Cursed by a witch. Also, the wolves don’t have split personalities between them and their wolf. In wolf form they think much the same as they do in human form. The wolf form simply heightens natural instincts that the human form isn’t privy to all the time. The forms of my wolves really aren’t that original since I think it’s really hard to make original forms with the werewolf genre, but in my series they can be human, wolf (giant wolves, the top of their back at least 5 feet tall), or half-shift where they have half human parts and half wolf parts which allow them to walk on two feet. The wolves in my stories can also change a single part of their body, such as turning a hand into a paw with claws.

Q: We here at Cry Havoc! Reviews love us some paranormal romance/ urban fantasy, is there another genre you'd like to try? Or one that you plan to stay away from?

A: I tried to write a young adult fiction story which didn’t involve fantasy, but by the second chapter the guy whom my main character was falling for ended up being a werewolf. I just get bored when I write something that doesn’t have a little paranormal spice in it.

Q: Was Song Of The Moon the title initially? Is there a story behind the title?

A: Actually it was originally “The Moon’s Song”, but my husband felt it sounded better as Song of the Moon so after some deliberation, I changed it. Plus, Artemis discusses how she can hear the “song of the moon” and other werewolves in my novels mention the “song of the moon” as well so it definitely fit the novel better.

Q: And finally, which fictional werewolf character would you most like to meet?

A: Ares! But if I had to choose a character from someone else’s book, then I’d love to meet Derek from the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews because he is a very loyal and sweet guy.

Oh yea Ares! So hot.
I'm also very partial to Koda. LOVIN' the mohawk.
Thanks again Catherine for stopping by and
letting us sneak a peek into Artemis Lupine's world.
We're so grateful for your Werewolf addition to YA,
we can ALWAYS use some more Werewolf love!

Want to check out my review for Song of the Moon? Click HERE.

Click HERE to order your own copy! (SO worth it!)

Stay tuned for an ode to some alpha hotness!
Thanks again for stopping by for Werewolf Week!

WoW: Werewolf Week Edition

2010-10-27T05:22:00.000-05:00

This weekly event is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

For Werewolf Week I'll be spotlighting up and coming Werewolf related tales
Here is a small list of new releases that feature the Werewolf:

The Gathering (04/12/2011): Maya lives in a small medical-research town on Vancouver Island. How small? You can’t find it on the map. It has less than two-hundred people, and her school has only sixty-eight students—for every grade from kindergarten to twelve.
Now, strange things are happening in this claustrophobic town, and Maya's determined to get to the bottom of them. First, the captain of the swim team drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. A year later, mountain lions start appearing around Maya's home, and they won’t go away. Her best friend, Daniel, starts getting negative vibes from certain people and things. It doesn't help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret—and he's interested in one special part of Maya's anatomy: Her paw-print birthmark.

Secrets and Shadows (02/15/2011) (St. Martins Press, catalog)
The supernatural stakes are higher than ever now that more than just werewolves prowl the town of Junction—friendships will be formed, choices will be made and allies may become enemies...
Nothing’s simple when you run with werewolves. Jess Gillmansen thinks she’s seen it all but her eyes are about to be opened to even more danger and a reality far more paranormal than she’s suspected. With Jess’s realization that the Rusakovas’ mother is still alive and imprisoned, the group’s choices become harder and trust more important. Lines are drawn and relationships change as the broken Rusakova family struggles to reunite to free their mother—and those who Jess thought to be normal people show themselves to be much, much more...

River Marked (02/01/2011): Car mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shapeshifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. She’s never known any others of her kind. Until now.
An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River—one that her father’s people may know something about. And to have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will need their help…

Once in a Full Moon (01/01/2011): Beware of a kiss under the full moon. It will change your life forever.
Celeste Parker is used to hearing scary stories about werewolves—Legend’s Run is famous for them. But when, after an unnerving visit with a psychic, she encounters a pack of wolves and gorgeous, enigmatic Brandon, she must discover whether his transformation is more than legend or just a trick of the shadows in the moonlight. Brandon may be Celeste’s hero, or he may be the most dangerous creature she could encounter in the woods of Legend’s Run.
The bestselling Vampire Kisses author, Ellen Schreiber, weaves together psychic predictions, generations-old secrets, a town divided, and the possibility of falling in love with a hot and heroic werewolf—the perfect formula for what happens...once in a full moon.

Forever (07/12/2011):The thrilling conclusion to #1 bestselling Shiver trilogy from Maggie Stiefvater.In Maggie Stiefvater's SHIVER, Grace and Sam found each other. In LINGER, they fought to be together. Now, in FOREVER, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.

Defiance (04/19/2011):The heart-stopping fourth novel in New York Times bestselling author Lili St. Crow's Strange Angels series. Now that sixteen-year-old Dru's worst fears have come true and Sergej has kidnapped her best friend Graves, she'll have to go on a suicidal rescue mission to bring him back in one piece.
That is, if she can put all of Christophe's training to good use, defeat her mother's traitor, Anna, once and for all, and manage to survive another day . .

City of Fallen Angels (04/05/2011):City of Fallen Angels is the fourth book in the bestselling series The Mortal Instruments. It follows the adventures of Jace, Clary, Simon and their friends after the events of City of Glass.

Blessed (02/08/2011): With a wink and a nod to Bram Stoker, bestselling author Cynthia Leitich Smith unites the casts of Tantalize and Eternal in a delicious dark fantasy her fans will devour. Quincie Morris, teen restaurateur and neophyte vampire, is in the fight of her life — or undeath. Even as she adjusts to her new appetites, she must clear her best friend and true love, the hybrid-werewolf Kieren, of murder charges; thwart the apocalyptic ambitions of Bradley Sanguini, the seductive vampire-chef who “blessed” her; and keep her dead parents’ restaurant up and running. She hires a more homespun chef and adds the preternaturally beautiful Zachary to her wait staff. But with hundreds of new vampires on the rise and Bradley off assuming the powers of Dracula Prime, Zachary soon reveals his true nature — and his flaming sword — and they hit the road to staunch the bloodshed before it’s too late. Even if they save the world, will there be time left to salvage Quincie’s soul?

Oh so good!
I am so excited for every single one of these!
Especially Defiance and River Marked! Oh man.

Hope some of these make it onto your TBR pile!

Thanks for stopping in during Werewolf Week
and make sure you tune in tomorrow for another author interview!

Werewolf Week author interview & giveaway!

2010-10-25T14:20:00.005-05:00

Thanks for stopping in! Today we have a great little interview with debut Scottish author Samantha Young. Let's all give a huge shout-out to Sam for her awesome Werewolf novel Lunarmorte and for the chance to win a signed copy and some swag. Thanks Sam! OK, now on to the interview.

Q: So why did you choose to write about werewolves?

A:I’ve always loved the mythology of the werewolf. There’s a sadness to the classical lore, a vulnerability to the werewolf despite their power, because of their connection to the moon and its control over them. I wanted to free my furry friends from that control and make it more spiritual, more familial. As children of the goddess, Artemis, the moon acts as a conduit to the goddess, and they transform when they want to as a way of being closer to their creator.

Plus…I’ve always thought werewolves guys were the hottest of the supernatural bad boys.

Q: What makes your wolves so different from the other stereotypical "wolf man" werewolf?

A: Well my werewolves are called lykans, which is short for lykanthrope (lykanthropos- the original Greek word for werewolf), and they control their transformation, the full moon doesn’t. Moreover, when they turn to wolf their nature doesn’t change. It was true that thousands of years ago, when Artemis first created them, they had little control over their animal nature and were even more aggressive than a wolf. But the centuries bred out their aggression. Now they live among humans, living their lives as humans. It’s just that they have these really cool regenerative powers and tend to look younger and live longer than a human. And let’s not forget their secret pack runs in wolf form whenever they feel like it.
Moreover my werewolfies can only mate with the supernatural creature that the gods approve of for them…and if the gods don’t approve of their choice of loved one then they can’t reproduce.
The gods can be serious pains in the butt.

Q: We here at Cry Havoc! Reviews love us some paranormal romance/ urban fantasy, is there another genre you'd like to try? Or one that you plan to stay away from?

A: I love writing fantasy novels but when I’m older and wiser and perhaps have more time on my hands I’d love to write an historical epic set during the Hundred Years War. But that’s a long way off. As for staying away from a genre, I’m pretty much open to any. Except perhaps autobiographical (shudders)…no thanks :-)

Q: Was Lunarmorte the title initially? Is there a story behind the title?

A: I didn’t have a title at first; I was hoping that somewhere in the middle of writing the story something would just fit. And it did. For those who haven’t read the novel, Lunarmorte, is a ritual performed by the heroine's Pack whenever an Alpha without male issue dies, leaving the pack leaderless. Those who wish to fight for the position do so during a full moon. It’s a fight to the death, and is called Lunarmorte because of the Pack’s classical and Portuguese heritage. When I thought about Caia’s plight throughout the novel and in fact the entire trilogy, Lunarmorte fit so perfectly.

Q: And finally, which fictional werewolf character would you most like to meet?

A: I love Kelley Armstrong’s werewolves and really liked Derek, the werewolf from her Young Adult series Darkest Powers. But I love, love, love Clay from her Otherworld series. He’s super hot. Yum.

Thanks so much Sam!

Sam has graciously offered up a signed copy of Lunarmorte to one very lucky reader. This is open internationally so good luck to everyone! Click HERE to enter for your chance to win! Also, check out my review of Lunarmorte HERE, and click HERE to hop on over to Sam's website/blog.

Thanks again to Sam for her awesome take on the Werewolf and for helping us out with Werewolf Week. We're huge fan-girls now! Check in tomorrow for a special Werewolf Week Wow. It'll be filled with tons of up and coming Werewolf related reads!

Werewolf Week: The Legend

2010-10-25T12:47:00.008-05:00

Here we go with day two of Werewolf Week. I thought we could dive into the orgins and legends accociated with these hairy beasts. (I'm using Wikipedia for all of this info.) Hope you discover some new and interesting facts about these wild men.

A werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope, is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf-like creature, either purposely, by being bitten by another werewolf, or after being placed under a curse. This transformation is often associated with the appearance of the full moon.

Werewolves are often attributed superhuman strength and senses, far beyond those of both wolves and men. The werewolf is generally held as a European character, although its lore spread through the world in later times. Shape-shifters, similar to werewolves, are common in tales from all over the world, most notably amongst the Native Americans, though most of them involve animal forms other than wolves.

Werewolves are a frequent subject of modern fictional books, although fictional werewolves have been attributed traits distinct from those of original folklore, most notably vulnerability to silver bullets. Werewolves continue to endure in modern culture and fiction, with books, films and television shows cementing the werewolf's stance as a dominant figure in horror.

Description and common attributes

Werewolves were said in European folklore to bear tell-tale physical traits even in their human form. These included the meeting of both eyebrows at the bridge of the nose, curved fingernails, low set ears and a swinging stride. One method of identifying a werewolf in its human form was to cut the flesh of the accused, under the pretense that fur would be seen within the wound. A Russian superstition recalls a werewolf can be recognised by bristles under the tongue. (eww) The appearance of a werewolf in its animal form varies from culture to culture, though they are most commonly portrayed as being indistinguishable from ordinary wolves save for the fact that they have no tail (a trait thought characteristic of witches in animal form), and that they retain human eyes and voice. After returning to their human forms, werewolves are usually documented as becoming weak, debilitated and undergoing painful nervous depression. One universally reviled trait in medieval Europe was the werewolf's habit of devouring recently buried corpses, a trait which is documented extensively, particularly in the Annales Medico-psychologiques in the 19th century.^[7]

Fennoscandian werewolves were usually old women who possessed poison coated claws and had the ability to paralyse cattle and children with their gaze.^[7] Serbian vulkodlaks traditionally had the habit of congregating annually in the winter months, where they would strip off their wolf skins and hang them from trees. They would then get a hold of another vulkodlaks skin and burn it, releasing the vulkodlak from whom the skin came from its curse.^[7] The Haitian jé-rouges typically try to trick mothers into giving away their children voluntarily by waking them at night and asking their permission to take their child, to which the disoriented mother may either reply yes or no. (wow, that's alot that I didn't know about them! Isn't it neat to read about different cultures take on the same myth?)

Origins of werewolf beliefs

Many authors have speculated that werewolf and vampire legends may have been used to explain serial killings.^{[citation needed]}. This theory is given credence by the tendency of some modern serial killers to indulge in practices commonly associated with werewolves, such as cannibalism, mutilation, and cyclic attacks.

Until the 20th century, wolf attacks on humans were an occasional, but widespread feature of life in Europe.^[24] Some scholars have suggested that it was inevitable that wolves, being the most feared predators in Europe, were projected into the folklore of evil shapeshifters. This is said to be corroborated by the fact that areas devoid of wolves typically use different kinds of predator to fill the niche; werehyenas in Africa, weretigers in India,^[7] as well as werepumas ("runa uturuncu")^[25]^[26] and werejaguars ("yaguaraté-abá" or "tigre-capiango")^[27]^[28] of southern South America.

Some modern researchers have tried to explain the reports of werewolf behaviour with recognised medical conditions. Dr Lee Illis of Guy's Hospital in London wrote a paper in 1963 entitled On Porphyria and the Aetiology of Werewolves, in which he argues that historical accounts on werewolves could have in fact been referring to victims of congenital porphyria, stating how the symptoms of photosensitivity, reddish teeth and psychosis could have been grounds for accusing a sufferer of being a werewolf.^[30] This is however argued against by Woodward, who points out how mythological werewolves were almost invariably portrayed as resembling true wolves, and that their human forms were rarely physically conspicuous as porphyria victims.

Woodward suggested rabies as the origin of werewolf beliefs, claiming remarkable similarities between the symptoms of that disease and some of the legends. Woodward focused on the idea that being bitten by a werewolf could result in the victim turning into one, which suggested the idea of a transmittable disease like rabies.^[7] However, the idea that lycanthropy could be transmitted in this way is not part of the original myths and legends and only appears in relatively recent beliefs.

So, this is just a little "refresher course" on the Werewolf.
Hope it helped clear some ideas up for you.
Thanks for stopping in!
Tomorrow we'll have an author interview and
giveaway so make sure you stop by!

Werewolf Week IMM!

2010-10-24T09:53:00.004-05:00

In honor of Halloween I thought it would be fun to host a week long
ode to my favorite fictional species.

The werewolf.

So every day this week I'll be posting some fun tidbit about the awesomeness of the Werewolf.

There will be interviews from authors who write werewolf tales, some cool werewolf info/mythology and lots of alpha hotness. All of this will lead up to Halloween night and our Werewolf lovers giveaway! I'll be letting one lucky reader pick there favorite werewolf inspired novel to take home with them! Sounds fun right? Cool.

IMM(15) - Werewolf Week Edition

In my Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by the lovely Story Siren,
where we show all of our goodies to you! (Not like that!)

We let you know what we've got to read for the week
and get to meet other bloggers through Mr. Linky.

You can head on over there HERE and sign up to do your own mail boxing if you'd like.

For Werewolf Week I decided to show you my personal werewolf collection.
I thought you'd like to see my werewolf/shifter books.
(sorry about the crappy picture!)

Here is a list of all my personal werewolf/shifter books
and books that feature werewolf/shifters:(not all are featured in the picture)

Nightshade trilogy by Andrea Cremer
Lunarmorte trilogy by Sam Young
Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs
Alpha & Omega series by Patricia Briggs
TDD trilogy by Bree Despain
Claire De Lune trilogy by Christine Johnson (E-book)
Riley Jenson series by Keri Arthur
Granite Lake Wolves series/novellas by Vivian Arend (E-book)
Twilight series by Stephenie Meyers
Shiver series by Maggie Stiefvater
Artemis Lupine trilogy by Catherine Banks
13 to Life trilogy by Shannon Delany
Raised by Wolves trilogy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Strange Angels series by Lili St. Crow
Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce (E-book)
The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare
Southern Vampires Series (Sookie Stackhouse) by Charlaine Harris
Tantalize/Blessed by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
The Night World series by L.J. Smith
Firelight by Sophie Jordan (shifters)
The Dark Hunters series by Sherrilyn Kenyon (shifters)

I KNOW! I'm a JUNKIE! Oh well, I don't mind.

So that's it for this weeks IMM. Thanks for joining us for Werewolf Week.
Check back everyday for more Werewolf awesomeness and giveaways!

Lunarmorte Giveaway!

2010-10-15T07:00:00.001-05:00

Want to win an awesome SIGNED copy of Lunarmorte by Sam Young?

I KNOW you do!

Sam so graciously offered up a signed copy and some swag to one of you lucky, lucky readers!

So, here's the gist:

Open Internationally! (I know, she rocks!)
Starts on 10/15 and ends 11/05
One entry per person
Must be a follower

How to enter:

In the world of Lunarmorte, there are:
Witches, Werewolves, Faeries and Vampires.
I want to know, if you could choose, which would you like to be?

So, that's it. Leave a comment with which fictional species you'd like to be!
(You all know me, werewolf all the way!)

Good Luck! Don't forget to stop by Sam's Blog and say thanks!

Lunarmorte Review

2010-10-15T05:56:00.001-05:00

Lunarmorte by Sam Young

Out now in the UK (personal copy from Book Depository)

Synopsis:(Goodreads)
Existing in the shadows of our world are supernatural races; children blessed by the ancient Greek gods with unimaginable gifts, and at present they are fighting a two-thousand-year old war with one another.

The Midnight Coven, an alliance of dark magiks, faeries, and daemons born of black magik, believe that the vampyres and lykans are lesser supernaturals and a threat to mankind. They are at war with the Daylight Coven, a confederate of light magiks, faeries, vampyres and lykans who believe in the equality of the races.

Into this war seventeen-year-old Caia Ribeiro is born...a lykan with a heritage unlike any other. A heritage that, whether she wants it to or not, will put her into the very heart of battle...

Review:
When I first laid eyes on this beauty, I knew I HAD to have it. Of course, I then learned that it's not out in the US yet. Soooo, what's a girl to do? Book Depository to the rescue! Yay for me! I waited, and waited, and waited some more for it to get here from overseas. I was a little worried that I hyped it up so much in my head that there was no way it would live up to my expectations. There was no need to worry. Lunarmorte is FABULOUS!

This debut novel from Scottish writer Samantha Young is a deep and complex paranormal love story. Lunarmorte is the first in a new trilogy set amongst the magical children of the ancient Greek gods. Where man unknowingly lives side by side with Witches, Werewolves, Faeries and Vampires.

A Midnight Coven and Daylight Coven set the scene for good vs. evil and one girl holds the key to winning the war. There's a lot of action, betrayal, werewolf teen angst and a little bit of hot alpha loving.

For any of you who love those werewolves, you have to check it out! It's a great new world with fantastic new characters who are sure to steal your heart. You get it all with this first glimpse into the world of Lunarmorte.

4.5/5 Stars!

Want to win your own copy?
Check back here later today for your chance to win a signed copy and swag!

Delirium Review

2010-10-14T05:56:00.000-05:00

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Release Date: February 1st 2011

Review Copy: Around The World Tours

Synopsis:(Goodreads)
Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -the deliria- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Review:
This story is just so beautifully written. It's lovely and tragic and had me holding my breath until the very last page. And then I wanted to cry. It is such a modern day Romeo and Juliet. I'm so looking forward to reading book 2. The ending will leave you heartbroken and hoping for a miracle.

Now I've heard a lot of people talking about how Delirium and Matched by Ally Condie are pretty much the same story. I don't believe that at all. Yes they are both set in a futuristic society that had complete control over its people, but other than that they are very different. You can read my review of Matched HERE. Delirium however is about a society trying to annihilate love completely. Thinking it is the worst form of sickness on the planet. Where everything is controlled and regulated, to find happiness outside what they give you is the worst crime imaginable.

Delirium is the story of a girl who just wants to fit in, but finds herself in the worst case scenario, and comes to realize that that's exactly where she wants to be.

Fans of romantic dystopian societies will eat this up. If you enjoyed Matched, you'll love Delirium. Also, members of NetGalley.com can now get there hands on advanced copies of Delirium! Yay for you!

5/5 Stars!

Waiting on a Wednesday -

2010-10-13T05:45:00.004-05:00

This weekly event is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

For this week my WoW is:

The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher

Release Date: January 1st 2011

Synopsis:(Goodreads)
Welcome to a future where water is more precious than gold or oil-and worth killing for

Vera and her brother Will live in the shadow of the Great Panic, in a country that has collapsed from environmental catastrophe. Water is hoarded by governments, rivers are dammed, and clouds are sucked from the sky. But then Vera befriends Kai, who seems to have limitless access to fresh water. When Kai suddenly disappears, Vera and Will set off on a dangerous journey in search of him-pursued by pirates, a paramilitary group, and greedy corporations. Timely and eerily familiar, acclaimed author Cameron Stracher makes a stunning YA debut that's impossible to forget.

"Let us pray that the world which Cameron Stracher has invented in The Water Wars is testament solely to his pure, wild, and brilliant imagination, and not his ability to see the future. I was parched just reading it."-Laurie David, academy award winning producer of An Inconvenient Truth, and author of The Down to Earth Guide to Global Warming

-------------------------------------

Sounds AMAZING! Loving all the dystopian novels that are coming out next year. This is on the top of my list. What do you think?

Teaser Tuesday - Lunarmorte

2010-10-12T11:32:00.004-05:00

"Teaser Tuesday" is a weekly meme hosted

by: Mizb of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can do it, here's how:

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.)

Here's my tease for the week:

Lunarmorte by Sam Young

Release Date: Out now in the UK

Page: 213

"I can trust you with this though?"

Sebastian's gold eyes blazed at him but he nodded, his jaw clenched so tight it looked like it would shatter, "I won't tell anyone."

"Good. You better go home."

Lucien turned to leave but Sebastian stopped him.

"She forgives you for deceiving her."

His heart slammed and he turned back to the tawny lykan who looked ready to kill him.

"She told me so today," he continued. And then his eyes narrowed, "She won't forgive you this though."

___________________________________________

Oh how I love werewolf tales. For me they are the best! Anyway, here's a new one for you. This is a debut novel from Scottish writer Samantha Young. Lunarmorte is the first in a new trilogy set amongst the magical children of the ancient Greek gods. There's a lot of action, betrayal, werewolf teen angst and a little bit of hot alpha loving. You get it all with this first glimpse into the world of Lunarmorte.

Teaser Tuesday - Delirium

2010-10-05T05:07:00.001-05:00

"Teaser Tuesday" is a weekly meme hosted

by: Mizb of Should Be Reading.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Release Date: February 1st 2011

Page: 168

Where are you from?" I don't have to ask. I know already. The realization has broken, spilled, overrun me. But a little part of me believes that as long as he doesn't say it, it's not true.

His eyes are steady on mine, but he tilts his head back-back toward the border, beyond the bridge, to that endlessly moving arrangement of branches and leaves and vines and tangled, growing things.

"there," he says, or maybe I just think he says it. His lips barely move. but the meaning is clear.

He comes from the Wilds.
------------------------------------------

Oh so good! Can I just say that I LOVE this cover and not the ARC cover. This is beautiful, the other was a little weird. I don't like looking up the girls nose. Anway, gorgeous story. Tragic but beautiful. I hope you get a chance to read it. If not, February isn't that far away, and then get it then. It's going to be a modern day Romeo and Juliet, I just know it.

Waiting on a Wednesday - Across the Universe

2010-09-29T06:00:00.000-05:00

This weekly event is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

For this week my WoW is:

Across The Universe by Beth Revis

Release Date: January 11th 2010

Synopsis: (Goodreads)
A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone—one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship—tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn’t do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now, Amy must race to unlock Godspeed’s hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there’s only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Oh my god!
I am SO freaking excited for this book!
I've been on a HUGE science fiction kick lately, and CANNOT wait to get my hands on this!

(Penguin/Razorbill if you're reading this, PLEASE, PLEASE can I get one?!)

-OK, enough begging-

So, love and murder on a space ship? Totally awesome.

I'm sure you've all heard of this by now, so I won't go on and on, but really, I REALLY want it.

Teaser Tuesday - Virals

2010-09-28T05:59:00.006-05:00

"Teaser Tuesday" is a weekly meme hosted

by: Mizb of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can do it, here's how:

1.Grab your current read
2.Open to a random page
3.Share two (2) "teaser" sentences/paragraphs from somewhere on that page.
4.Share the title and the author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

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.)

Here's my tease for the week:

Virals by Kathy Reichs

Release Date: November 2nd 2010

Page: 157

The crime was official: murder most foul. Now it was time to expose the murderer.

I vowed silently, speaking to Katherine. Someone will pay for the outrage. Four decades of time will make no difference. Justice will prevail.

My promise was cut short.

Men with guns had come to kill us.

----------------------------------

If you like murder/mystery you're in for a treat. Lots of action and crimes to solve. Not bad for a bunch of high schoolers.

Virals review

2010-09-27T05:37:00.001-05:00

Virals by Kathy Reichs

Release Date: November 2nd 2010

Synopsis (Goodreads)
Tory Brennan, niece of acclaimed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (of the Bones novels and hit TV show), is the leader of a ragtag band of teenage "sci-philes" who live on a secluded island off the coast of South Carolina. When the group rescues a dog caged for medical testing on a nearby island, they are exposed to an experimental strain of canine parvovirus that changes their lives forever.

As the friends discover their heightened senses and animal-quick reflexes, they must combine their scientific curiosity with their new found physical gifts to solve a cold-case murder that has suddenly become very hot if they can stay alive long enough to catch the killer's scent.

Fortunately, they are now more than friends they're a pack. They are Virals

Review:
So I'm personally giving Virals 3 stars because I'm just not a fan of murder/mysteries or anything even remotely Contemporary. I'm a strictly paranormal romance/fantasy/sci-fi kinda girl. I just don't get into a story unless it has SOME sort of fantasy involved. Which is why I at least finished Virals. There was a scientific element that at least lent itself to fantasy, but I was so hoping for more paranormal aspects. I'm sure if you enjoy "who done it's" then you'd give it a higher rating.

The story itself is good and interesting. It makes you think and keeps you guessing. You can tell the author put alot into it, and that she really knows what she's doing. Virals is a YA spin-off of Kathy Reichs' Bones series. I haven't read any of those, but I'm guessing if you liked them, and you like YA, then you'll love Virals.

So. There's a murder, and a mystery along with that. Some teen sleuths and some science experiments. Some of those experiments go bad, and there's money involved and blackmail and power struggles and some heightened experiences. I think that about sums it up.

Like I said, I just don't like these kind of stories, so I'm just going to stop complaining and let you know that overall it was good. If you like these kind of tales, then you're missing out on a great new series. I hope you enjoy it!

3/5 stars

Waiting on a Wednesday - Monsters Of Men

2010-09-22T05:33:00.002-05:00

This weekly event is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

For this week my WoW is:

Monsters Of Men (Chaos Walking Book #3) by Patrick Ness

Release Date: September 28th 2010 (UK - already released)

Synopsis (Goodreads):

---May contain book 1 and 2 spoilers!---

'War', says the Mayor. 'At last'. Three armies march on New Prentisstown, each one intent on destroying the others. Todd and Viola are caught in the middle, with no chance of escape. As the battles commence, how can they hope to stop the fighting? How can there ever be peace when they're so hopelessly outnumbered? And if war makes monsters of men, what terrible choices await? But then a third voice breaks into the battle, one bent on revenge - the electrifying finale to the award-winning "Chaos Walking" trilogy, "Monsters of Men" is a heart-stopping novel about power, survival, and the devastating realities of war.

----------------------------------------------------

I am LOVING the Chaos Walking series!

It's a dystopian love story set on another planet!
The way Patrick Ness writes is so addictive. Once I start reading I can't stop!

This is the third and final book and I'm sad to see it end. I'm hoping Mr. Ness will keep on writing with this world he's created.
If you haven't read book #1 The Knife Of Never Letting Go, I highly recommend it.

Teaser Tuesday - The Knife of Never Letting Go

2010-09-21T05:45:00.005-05:00

"Teaser Tuesday" is a weekly meme hosted

by: Mizb of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can do it, here's how:

----------------------------------

So you can read my review on Thursday. In case you're wondering I LOVED it. So what do you think about this tease? Does it make you want to go out and read it right now? I sure hope it does. This has made it to one of my top 3 faves. I think it'll be a fave of your too, but that's just me.

In My Mailbox (14)

2010-09-19T08:14:00.008-05:00

Ahoy Mateys! Happy "Talk Like A Pirate Day"!
So I haven't done a "In My Mailbox" in forever, so here's mine for this week.

Can i just say how fan-freaking-tastic these books are?!
I will post my review for The Knife of Never Letting Go asap.
GREAT dystopian/science fiction!

For Review-

Glimpse by Stacey Wallace thoughtfully gave me a copy of her new novel for my honest review.
I just need to get off my butt and read it!
It sounds really interesting:

Zellie Wells has a devastating crush on Avery Adams, the son of her mom’s high school sweetheart. At her sixteenth birthday party, held in the basement of her dad’s church, she finally finds the courage to talk to him. Turns out, the devastating crush is mutual.
As Avery takes her hand and leads her out onto the makeshift dance floor, Zellie is overwhelmed by her first vision of his death; shocking because not only are they both covered in his blood, but they’re old, like 35, and she is pregnant.

Convinced that their parents are freaking out unnecessarily, Avery and Zellie vow to be together no matter what. They continue their relationship in secret until Zellie learns that their parents are just trying to prevent her and Avery from suffering like they did. The visions are hereditary, they’re dangerous, and if they stay together the visions will come true.

Now Zellie must choose between severing all ties with Avery, like her mom did to prevent his father’s death, and finding a way to change Avery’s future.

AHHH!!! So cool

and Virals by Kathy Reichs via Star Book Tours

This one sounds really cool too.

So that's that me hearties. Hope you all have a good haul!

(arr!)

Don't worry, we haven't forgetten about you!

2010-09-14T08:42:00.003-05:00

We're just on a mini-vacation/house hunting trip to Corpus Christi, Texas!

So, we'll be out and about till next week.

Please bare with us. We're being relocated and need a new place to live asap.
So, while Hubby's at work, the boys and I are hitting the streets hard.
Think we've already found "the one" but we'll keep looking just in case.

So thanks for being patient, we love you for that!

Have a great week guys, and we'll see you soon!

-MissHavoc

Review Re-caps for September Releases

2010-09-09T12:36:00.002-05:00

So I thought since I review books right after I read them,
some of you forget what awesome books are coming out this month,
and what I think of them.

I figured the least I can do is re-post those reviews once a month before the books' release dates.

So here we go.

For the month of September
the books that will be released that I have reviewed are:

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White 8/31

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare 8/31

Nevermore by Kelley Creagh 8/31

Firelight by Sophie Jordan 9/07

Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin 9/07

Zombies vs. Unicorns by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier 9/21

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff 9/21

Ascendant by Diana Peterfreund 9/28

I think that's all I have reviewed that'll come out this month.
If I find anymore I'll let you know.

What do you guys think of this? Is it helpful at all?

Song of the Moon Review

2010-09-09T06:35:00.002-05:00

Song of the Moon (Artemis Lupine #1) by Catherine Banks

Release Date: February 2010

Copy received from Jenn @ Book Crazy (thanks girl!)

Synopsis(Goodreads)
What if you found out that there was another world inside your own? What if all of the things you thought made you weird, actually made you powerful?

Artemis's life is changed forever when the mysterious man from her dreams, Ares, comes to claim her as his mate. The seventeen year old girl must find a way to adapt to her true life and accept her fate or run from it. She must overcome her fears and human ideals to give her self to the dangerous world, and man, that is her destiny.

Review:

	Gah! I want more now! It was fantastic and suspenseful up until the very last sentence. I cannot believe that I have to wait until February to read more about Artemis and Ares. Wow! You all know I love a good werewolf tale, but this was great.I'm definitely looking forward to more from Ms. Banks.

Part love story, part coming of age, and all werewolf hotness. Can't get any better than this. It was a very fast read with very lovable characters. I didn't want it to end, and even though it's almost 300 pages, it didn't feel long enough. I didn't want to leave this wonderful world and these beautiful characters.

Ares is the older, tough alpha who comes sweeping in to save the day. Artemis is the awkward but beautiful young girl who doesn't know who she really is and discovers her true destiny. You can almost see her falling in love with him and it's beautiful. Oh man, I sound like a sap!

Anyway, I LOVED it, I want more, and I hope that 2011 hurries up so I can get my fill of Artemis and Ares. Not to mention Matt and Koda, the awesome mohawk twins! Really, you should read it just for the simple fact of these hot brothers.

If you enjoy ANYTHING that involves the werewolf then you're missing out if you haven't already read this. Go now. You'll fall in love with Artemis too.

Waiting on a Wednesday - Blood and Flowers

2010-09-08T05:08:00.003-05:00

This weekly event is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

For this week my WoW is:

Blood and Flowers by Penny Blubaugh

Release Date: March 1st 2011

Synopsis:(Goodreads)
Three years ago, Persia ran away from her drug-addict parents and found a home with the Outlaws, an underground theater troupe. With time, this motley band of mortals and fey, puppeteers and actors, becomes the loving family Persia never had, and soon Persia not only discovers a passion for theater but also falls in love with one of the other Outlaws. Life could not be more perfect.

Until an enemy makes an unfair accusation against the group and forces them to flee their world and hide in the neighboring realm of Faerie. But in Faerie, all is not flowers and rainbows. With bloodthirsty trolls, a hostile monarchy, and a dangerous code of magic, the fey world is far from the safe haven the Outlaws had hoped for....

Following up her critically acclaimed Serendipity Market, Penny Blubaugh has created a beautiful and mysterious world where anything can happen—especially what you least expect.
-----------------------------------------

Gah! I love me some Fae stories. This sounds really original and of course the cover...beautiful! Now since it's so far away, the cover might change, but I sure hope it doesn't. I would look lovely on my bookshelves!

So, what are you waiting on this week?

Extraordinary - Review

2010-09-02T06:24:00.000-05:00

Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin

Release Date: September 7th 2010

ARC Tour- Around the World Tours

Synopsis:(Goodreads)
Phoebe finds herself drawn to Mallory, the strange and secretive new kid in school, and the two girls become as close as sisters . . . until Mallory's magnetic older brother, Ryland, shows up during their junior year. Ryland has an immediate, exciting hold on Phoebe, but a dangerous hold, for she begins to question her feelings about her best friend and, worse, about herself. Soon she'll discover the shocking truth about Ryland and Mallory: that these two are visitors from the faerie realm who have come to collect on an age-old debt. Generations ago, the faerie queen promised Pheobe's ancestor five extraordinary sons in exchange for the sacrifice of one ordinary female heir. But in hundreds of years there hasn't been a single ordinary girl in the family, and now the faeries are dying. Could Phoebe be the first ordinary one? Could she save the faeries, or is she special enough to save herself?

Review:
I'm a huge Nancy Werlin fan. I LOVED Impossible. It's one of my favorites. I just couldn't enjoy Extraordinary.

Now I know where she was going with it, and I understand what it was all about, but I just couldn't enjoy they story with Pheobe letting Ryland walk all over her. I know he's Fae, and not a nice guy, but I just kept hoping she would stick up for herself.

The bond between Pheobe and Mallory is great. They have a sisterly affection for each other that I liked. I enjoyed watching them both come into there own and grow as individuals, and also as friends. I loved how Mallory was sent do one thing, but because she loved Pheobe she couldn't do as she was told. I just really couldn't get over Ryland.

The hot, older brother who suddenly becomes interested? He reminded me of my first boyfriend who was the biggest d**k ever, so reading about this character put me in a bad mood. I kept yelling a Pheobe to open her eyes and see what was really going on! It was really annoying how much she let him get away with. OK, I know, Fae glamor and all that, but still.

I wish there was more Fae involved and that they went to the other-side earlier, or where there longer. The whole story takes place in the human realm up until the last chapter or so. I personally like a fairy tale with more Fae. But if you like a coming of age fairy tale, about not letting others expectations define who you are, you'll enjoy Extraordinary.

I just couldn't get over the crappy boyfriend.

3/5 Stars!

Waiting on a Wednesday - The Gathering

2010-09-01T06:00:00.005-05:00

This weekly event is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

For this week my WoW is:

The Gathering (Darkness Rising #1) by Kelley Armstrong

Release Date: April 12th 2011

Synopsis:(Goodreads)
Maya lives in a small medical-research town on Vancouver Island. How small? You can’t find it on the map. It has less than two-hundred people, and her school has only sixty-eight students—for every grade from kindergarten to twelve.

Now, strange things are happening in this claustrophobic town, and Maya's determined to get to the bottom of them. First, the captain of the swim team drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. A year later, mountain lions start appearing around Maya's home, and they won’t go away. Her best friend, Daniel, starts getting negative vibes from certain people and things. It doesn't help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret—and he's interested in one special part of Maya's anatomy: Her paw-print birthmark.
--------------------------------

I know it's not fair to tease you with these new titles that are SO FAR AWAY, but I just thought you'd like to see what I'm waiting for. Looks like a new shifter-type series, and if you ask me, it'll be AWESOME! What do you all think?

Teaser Tuesday - Matched

2010-08-31T06:50:00.001-05:00

"Teaser Tuesday" is a weekly meme hosted

by: Mizb of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can do it, here's how:

1.Grab your current read
2.Open to a random page
3.Share two (2) "teaser" sentences/paragraphs from somewhere on that page.
4.Share the title and the author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

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.)

Here's my tease for the week:

Matched by Ally Condie

Release Date: November 30th 2010

Page: 34- 35

I reach up to touch the words Courtship Guidelines on the screen but before I do Xander's face darkens and then disappers. The portscreen beeps and the voice says again,

"Cassia Reyes, the Society is pleased to present you with your Match."

My heart stops, and I can't believe what I see. A face comes back into view on the port in front of me.

It is not Xander.

----------------------------------------

Oh Ms.Condie why do you write such a beautiful love story and leave the ending so unfulfilling? *sigh* I guess I'll just have to wait miserably, for another year, till I can finish this wonderful story. Or at least the next installment. I'm sure you've already read this tease somewhere, but since it's such an important part of the story I thought I'd share it as well. If you have the chance to read this now, do so. If not, November is right around the corner, go pick it up then. It's really a life changing love-story.

Dusk Till Dawn Read-A-Thon Wrap Up!

2010-08-30T10:31:00.009-05:00

Well, that was awesome! Unfortunatly I did not get as much read as I was hoping to, or thinking I could. I just couldn't stay awake!

I did read:
Matched
Kiss Me Deadly
My Blood Approves
Fate (My Blood Approves, #2)
Flutter (My Blood Approves, #3)
And am also almost finished with Wisdom (My Blood Approves, #4)

Now...to finish up these challenges -

Jenn from Book Crazy (Hi Jenn, thanks for hosting this great read-a-thon! *waves*) asked us: "If you could be read into a book, which book would it be and why? What is it about that story that you find utterly overpowering? Which world would you choose to loose what you have here on earth for?" I'd have to say either The Mortal Instruments or the Mercy Thompson series. I KNOW they are both totally different, but I'd either want to be a badass Shadow Hunter and kill some crazy demons, or I'd want to be a werewolf and live in Adams pack. They both really awesome worlds.

Next Melissa with Indiependent Books asked us to take a photo with an Indie book we are planning to read during the readathon. Mine are all on my Sony Reader and they are black and white so... I am going to just show the covers - I am actually reading all 4 from the My Blood Approves series by Amanda Hocking. They're like a grungier Twilight.

Jenny from Supernatural Snark, asked us to, "choose two characters from any two novels, who would you pick as your ideal couple and why? Note: these should be couples that are not already together in their current stories, but rather characters from different novels that you think might be cute together if it were possible!"Hmm...Now Light of Asteria lovers don't hate, this is just made-up but I was just thinking that should anything ever happen to Gavin (and it better not) that Nora would be great with Xander from Matched. He's very Gavin-ish on his own, and always seems to put other's needs and happiness before his own. I think I like them together.

Cortney with Stiletto Storytime asked us to tell her our favorite dystopian book or series. That's actually easy, and I can't believe I haven't reviewed it on my blog yet. Oh well. I LOVE Unwind my Neal Shusterman. Now I know they're making a movie about it, but I think it's a stand alone book. I mean, the ending was fantastic, so it doesn't NEED another book, but it was also so good that it'd be thrilled with the opportunity to read more about this world.

Emily with It's Just Life As I Know It asked us to tell her about a book we stayed up all night reading. I stayed up ALL night reading Mockingjay when it came out. I stayed up until like 6 in the morning and I was so tired that the ending didn't even make sense anymore. I had to reread the last couple chapters the next day just to understand what happened!

Danny with Bewitched Bookworms asked us, "Who is your favorite Angel character in books???"
Ehh...can I say Jace from The Mortal Instruments? He has angel blood? I haven't really found an angel that I love. Gabe was good in Personal Demons, but I liked Luc better, so I'd have to say Jace even if he isn't "technically" an angel.

Liz with Cleverly Inked asked us to, "tell me what book you would change and what you would change about it." I have to agree with Jenn from Book-Crazy and change My Blood Approves. Alice needs to dump Jack and get back with his brother Peter. It's driving me INSANE! He's like her perfect guy, and she was HIS! Oh man!

So that's that! How fun! Thanks again to Jenn and Jami for hosting this fabulous read-a-thon! Let's do it again real soon!

Matched Review

2010-08-30T09:37:00.000-05:00

Matched by Ally Condie

Release Date: November 30th 2010

ARC Tour - Star Book Tours

Synopsis:(Goodreads)
Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s barely any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one . . . until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path no one else has ever dared follow—between perfection and passion.

Matched is a story for right now and storytelling with the resonance of a classic

Review:
Wow. That's all I'm saying. So beautiful and tragic. Like a modern day Romeo and Juliet. I sure hope it has a happier ending.

Cassia is at first, just as vapid and sheep-like as the rest of the Society. Then, through a series of events, she comes into her own. Becoming strong, and willful, and defiant. She's offered one life, that is a really good one, but it's everything she already knows. When the opportunity arises to try something new, something different and not acceptable, she finds it hard to resist.

Ky is like no one Cassias ever met, and they seem to form a bond from day one. This story is about them trying to defy the lives chosen for them. It's about love and war and conformity. Doing what's safe vs. doing what would make you happy. Finding out if your happiness is worth destroying others for.

I look forward to book 2, and cannot wait to see what happens to Cassia and Ky and Xander, who's the best friend a girl could ask for. It's hard to choose what's right, when both choices are really good ones.

5/5 Stars!

Iron Queen Excerpt!!!!

2010-08-27T08:23:00.003-05:00

Woo-hoo! Julie Kagawa just posted an excerpt for book 3: The Iron Queen
over on Harliquinblog.com! If you're a fan of the Iron Fey series like I am I
know how excited you are for the final installment! So hurry up and check out
this great little sneak-peak!

Click HERE to read the excerpt!