First, Edwart was most likely my soul mate, maybe.
Second, there was a vampire part of him – which I assumed was wildly out of his control – that wanted me dead.
And third, I unconditionally, irrevocably, impenetrably, heterogeneously, gynecologically, and disreputably wished he had kissed me.
And thus Belle Goose falls in love with the mysterious and sparkly Edwart Mullen in the Harvard Lampoon’s hilarious send-up.
Pale and klutzy, Belle arrives in Switchblade, Oregon, looking for adventure, or at least and undead classmate. She soon discovers Edwart, a super-hot computer nerd with zero interest in girls. After witnessing a number of strange events – Edwart leaves his chips untouched at lunch! Edwart saves her from a flying snowball! – Belle has a dramatic revelation: Edwart is a vampire. But how can she convince Edwart to bite her and transform her into his eternal bride, especially when he seems to find girls so repulsive?
Complete with romance, danger, insufficient parental guardianship, creepy stalkerlike behaviour, and a vampire prom, Nightlight is the uproarious tale of a vampire-obsessed girl, looking for love in all the wrong places.
This week I found two new books that were added to the ever growing pile.
When twenty-eight-year-old Lexi Smart wakes up in a London hospital, she’s in for a big surprise. Her teeth are perfect. Her body is toned. Her handbag is Vuitton. Having survived a car accident—in a Mercedes no less—Lexi has lost a big chunk of her memory, three years to be exact, and she’s about to find out just how much things have changed. Somehow Lexi went from a twenty-five-year-old working girl to a corporate big shot with a sleek new loft, a personal assistant, a carb-free diet, and a set of glamorous new friends. And who is this gorgeous husband—who also happens to be a multimillionaire? With her mind still stuck three years in reverse, Lexi greets this brave new world determined to be the person she…well, seems to be. That is, until an adorably disheveled architect drops the biggest bombshell of all. Suddenly Lexi is scrambling to catch her balance. Her new life, it turns out, comes complete with secrets, schemes, and intrigue. How on earth did all this happen? Will she ever remember? And what will happen when she does?
Jordan Landau is having a bad life. At twenty-five, she is attractive, smart, funny and talented. But all that doesn't keep her mother from calling her fat, her boss from stealing her ideas, and her boyfriend from cheating on her. Day in and day out, she sits back and watches as everyone walks all over her. Then one day while riding her bike home from a particularly awful day, Jordan collides with a car door and is knocked clear off her bicycle. Coming to in the hospital, Jordan realizes she has a perfect excuse for a "do-over"; she vows to fake amnesia and reinvent herself. And it works. Finally, Jordan is able to get the credit she deserves at work, and she stands up to her family and her jerk boyfriend. She's living the life she always dreamed of--until the unthinkable happens. Suddenly Jordan must start over for real, and figure out what really makes her happy--and how to live a truly memorable life.
Yes I know I'm abhorrently late with the weekly features. Ok here goes:
Teaser Tuesday
On Tuesday I was reading Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston:
"Well. I think it's safe to say that, in my absence, the power grabbing and backstabbing and political intrigue has officially reached an all-time Otherworld high." - Tyff
Droolworthy Covers
I love covers like this, just a sketch that has so much life. It also reminds me of Vogue for some reason.
Counting The Days
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa is coming to shelves next week!!!
Seventeen-year-old actress Kelly Winslow always thought faeries were just something from childhood stories. Then she meets Sonny Flannery. He’s a changeling – a mortal taken as an infant and raised among Faerie – and within short order he’s turned Kelley’s heart inside out and her life upside down.
For Kelley’s beloved Central Park isn’t just a park – it’s a gateway between her ordinary city and the Faerie’s dangerous, bewitching Otherworld. Now Kelley’s eyes are opening not just to the Faerie that surround her, but to the heritage that awaits her...a destiny both wondrous and strange.
My Thoughts:
I loved this book!
To be perfectly honest I was a little afraid to read this because of all the hype, everyone loves it, which usually means that I don’t but this case everyone was right, Wondrous Strange is a masterfully written tale.
Kelley is stubborn and wilful but in the absolute best way possible, she’s smart and uses her head, she knows when things are wrong and doesn’t go charging into danger deliberately. Although it does seem to find her. I can relate to her in the way that she handles things, she takes it all in might not believe half of it and just goes with the flow which is wonderful to witness.
Sonny is perfect. He’s charming and caring but not overbearingly so, he is there for Kelley when she is in danger but doesn’t treat her like a child. He treats her like a person and actually asks her to stay safe, not tell her, which is refreshing.
I think the main reason I loved this book is because it incorporates my all time favourite play, A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream. The fact that the play was acted out within the book, Kelley is the actress playing Titania, whilst everything was going on in the real world was awesome.
I will chuck in a little extra peek, the guy who plays Puck in the play who befriends Kelley in real life, is awesome! Once you know who he is your jaw will probably drop like mine did, so make sure if you read this book to pay attention.
I was admittedly a little confused in the beginning with all of the new terms and dream sequences but as the story progressed I became more and more engrossed. I did figure out a couple of the big bombshells early but there were definitely things that took me completely by surprise as I read them.
I will say that I think, from memory, this is my first real trip into the world of Faerie. I can’t remember reading too much about them before this unless they cropped up in other book but were not the main focus. This is the perfect introduction to full on Faerie and I recommend it to everyone.
This book is part of a trilogy and I will definitely be picking up the next two books.
“If we act like prey, they will act like predators,”
Solange has always known she was a vampire. And as the only female vampire ever born, not initiated, she is surrounded by danger on all sides – from other vampire tribes who want to take her blood into their lineage, and from the bounty hunters who are set on destroying her and her family.
When she is kidnapped, it’s up to her elder brother, Nicholas, and best friend, Lucy, to save her.
But can Lucy save herself from Nicholas, who tempts her with every look – what will be her own fate if she surrenders her heart to a vampire?
My Thoughts:
What is it with synopsises and lying lately. This sounded like a really promising action packed and suspenseful book from what you just read right?
It’s a complete tease, it’s like looking at a mouth watering buffet after not eating for a week then tucking in and realising that everything is only half cooked. It fills you up sure enough, but you’re left completely unsatisfied.
It’s like we read through 250 pages and nothing much happens, yes it’s about vampire’s yes she is a chick who was born a vampire who is being hunted. And yes her best friend and brother try and save her. That is the entire story summed up. Notice I said try well they tried, and funnily enough being sixteen year old failed miserably. It was her parents that cleaned up the mess.
It’s so promising to read about potential banter between Lucy and Nicholas, and it’s there a bit and it’s funny. But it’s extremely repetitive the only thing they do is call each other Nicky and Lucky. Wow.
There is so much potential in this budding romance, which goes from the same thing throughout the entire book: “Hmmm, I think I like him, eww, that’s gross it’s Nicholas.” To right at the end when they think they’re about to die so she tries to sneak a peek at him getting changed. Then all of sudden he calls her his girlfriend and kisses her. Big Whoop.
So much potential in these fight scenes with all of these hunters. There’s three, and the entire time whichever protagonist we’re reading the POV of is thinking about themselves and the fact that they are too weak to fight.
Which brings me to the changing POV’s, that’s all well and good and it was pulled off. But I still didn’t like it, because there was a change every chapter except for right at the end.
The two POV’s we read through are Solange (the Vampire) and Lucy (the best friend).
Lucy causes all the trouble and Solange whinges through it. Yes they are strong characters, but they are also stupid. They are in essence teenagers who think they know best and it causes a lot of problems. Which is fair and realistic, but annoying.
I was morbidly interested in what happened though, I will say that the story does have a way of keeping us hooked which is very clever.
I don’t agree with the whole vampires being born crap though, I think that Harvey could have picked a different supernatural creature to play with, in my opinion she went with vampires because everyone else did, that’s all.
There is a second book in this series that I know of to date. I will read it, because I do want to know what happens, although I know it will probably put me in a foul mood like the last one did because of the sheer stupidity. One thing I won’t be doing though is buying the next book (like I did this one), I will be getting it out at the library or borrowing it from a friend.
I think others might like it, might. So this book is a take it or leave it, if you are stuck for something to read it wouldn’t hurt because it is a pretty good storyline.
Ok, I created a new blog today! And it is dedicated to my writing. I'm hoping that since I've become so addicted to blogging this month this will be the push I need to write and post about my writing progress.
So if anyone feels like helping to give me that push I need to write consistently don't hesitate to go over there and tell me to get my finger out. :)
The Over the Top Award comes from Teddyree @ The Eclectic Reader ... and I'm told it means over the top in a good way LOL.
The rules are pretty simple. Answer the following questions with Single Word answers then pass this along to 5 other bloggers. Make sure you let them know about it though.
Your Cell Phone? Pointless
Your Hair? Copper
Your Mother? Caring
Your Father? Working
Your Favourite Food? Lasagne
Your Dream Last Night? Inspiring
Your Favourite Drink? Water
Your Dream/Goal? Published
What Room Are You In? Work
Your Hobby? Writing
Your Fear? Spiders
Where Do You See Yourself In Six Years? Mirror
Where Were You Last Night? Home
Something That You Aren't? Focused
Muffins? Dry
Wish List Item? Kindle
Where Did You Grow Up? Australia
Last Thing You Did? Created
What Are You Wearing? Clothes
Your TV? Pointless
Your Pets? Gorgeous
Friends? Non-Existent
Your Life? Worrisome
Your Mood? Bored
Missing Someone? Yes
Vehicle? Ford
Something You Aren't Wearing? Hat
Your Favourite Store? Bookstore
Your Favourite Colour? Green
When Was The Last Time You Laughed? Today
Last Time You Cried? Yesterday
Your Best Friend? Cousin
One Place You Go To Over And Over Again? Blogs
Facebook? Time-waster
Favourite Place To Eat? Work
This one goes out to the following bloggers I've recently come across:
Melkorka is an Irish Princess, the first daughter of a magnificent kingdom – but this all changes the day she is kidnapped and taken aboard a marauding slave ship. Trapped in a world both unfamiliar and cruel, Melkorka finds that her powerlessness gives her clarity. That she is master of what she says. Choosing to take a vow of silence, Melkorka becomes an object of fascination to her captors. And then she realizes that any power, no matter how little, can make a difference.
My Thoughts:
The synopsis promises such an adventurous tale. It lied.
Hush is based on a Scandinavian story about a slave who wouldn’t talk, when she was finally overheard speaking Gaelic to her two year old son one day and asked of her story she told her master that she was an Irish princess before her captor, this is where Hush stems from, her journey into slavery.
I’m still having mixed feelings about Hush. Melkorka isn’t a strong character at all, she is a brat in my opinion. Her eight year old sister Brigid was a better character, pity she only stayed for the first half.
The book was made up of three parts, part one was in Ireland or Eire as the book refers to it, the second is on the boat of her first captor, the third on the boat of the man who buys her.
There is a clear difference in the quality of the story during the three parts. The first part of the story I was completely disappointed in, the writing was poor and disjointed. The timeline wasn’t clearly expressed so we were jumping erratic periods of time with no notice, it was only until you had to re-read and work out that you were a month or a week ahead.
The second part of the story was better written, like the author walked away for a few years and came back after writing more novels so had a bit more of a grip on her writing. By the time we got to the third part, which I had to force myself to get to, the story picked up and completely engrossed me because I had to know what happened.
Melkorka like I said was portrayed as a weak brat. She’s a fifteen year old princess (which is considered old enough for the time) who doesn’t have a brain in her head. Her eight year old sister was a wonderful character for the time she spent in the pages of the book, Brigid was smart, compassionate, quick-witted and resourceful. Melkorka on the other hand is the complete opposite, she really isn’t a likeable character. It took her until the third part of the book until she accepted being a slave and started acting like one, instead of a princess. Fair enough that she grew up as a princess but letting the other slaves wash you on a ship? That’s a bit much in my opinion.
Even the Hush bit, the whole point of the story wasn’t her idea, it was Brigid’s, and when Brigid left the story it was another slave that told her to keep her mouth shut.
This story didn’t take me on a journey which I thought might happen, because I adore novels about the old sailing ships of which this novel was primarily set on.
It was the other characters that made this story for me. Brigid in particular, if there were a story about Brigid I would definitely read it. Maeve, one of the slaves was another interesting character, she is a mystery, she knows so much about all of the countries they go to and is quick witted. Gilli, or Clay Man as Melkorka refers to him, is another good character, he is the one who originally kidnaps her, and it is interesting to read about his suspicions of Melkorka.
So overall when I sum up the story in my head, it isn’t a memorable one, but the secondary characters make it interesting and worth the read.
Since half-vampire Cat Crawfield and her undead lover Bones met six years ago, they’ve fought against the rogue undead, battled a vengeful Master vampire, and pledged their devotion with a blood bond. Now it’s time for a vacation. But their hopes for a perfect Paris holiday are dashed when Cat awakes one night in terror. She’s having visions of a vampire named Gregor who’s more powerful than bones and has ties to her past that even Cat herself didn’t know about.
Gregor believes Cat is his and he won’t stop until he has her. As the battle begins between the vamp who haunts her nightmares and the one who holds her heart, only Cat can break Gregor’s hold over her. She’ll need all the power she can summon in order to bring down the baddest bloodsucker she’s ever faced...even if getting that power will result in an early grave.
I found another 2 new books this week! All thanks to Blogs with Bite.
In the city of Minhorne, Darkborn and Lightborn live side by side, never meeting, divided by a powerful mages' curse that makes daylight lethal to the Darkborn and darkness lethal to the Lightborn. They are divided, too, by their acceptance of magic and technology, their politics, their religion, and their views of the proper conduct of men and women.
An act of necessary succor brings Darkborn physician Balthasar Hearne to the deadly attention of agents of a new and unrecognized enemy of both Darkborn and Lightborn. His aristocratic wife, Telmaine, is forced to use magical abilities she has all her life kept hidden, to protect her husband and her children. And Ishmael di Studier, mage and social outcast, who has spent decades defending his borders home from the marauding Shadowborn, now finds himself engaged against an even more dangerous enemy.
They call me the Spider. I'm the most feared assassin in the South -- when I'm not busy at the Pork Pit cooking up the best barbecue in Ashland. As a Stone elemental, I can hear everything from the whispers of the gravel beneath my feet to the vibrations of the soaring Appalachian Mountains above me. My Ice magic also comes in handy for making the occasional knife. But I don't use my powers on the job unless I absolutely have to. Call it professional pride.
Now that a ruthless Air elemental has double-crossed me and killed my handler, I'm out for revenge. And I'll exterminate anyone who gets in my way -- good or bad. I may look hot, but I'm still one of the bad guys. Which is why I'm in trouble, since irresistibly rugged Detective Donovan Caine has agreed to help me. The last thing this coldhearted killer needs when I'm battling a magic more powerful than my own is a sexy distraction...especially when Donovan wants me dead just as much as the enemy.
I will continue adding to the list just to see how many I can read in January (we are allowed to do that) but yeay!!! Finished my first challenge for the year!!!
I like these books...admittedly they aren't my favourite...but it's one of those series in which you are compelled to know what happens...because it has a very good plot.
It should be the best time of half-vampire Cat Crawfield’s life. With her undead lover Bones at her side, she’s successfully protected mortals from the rogue undead. But though Cat’s worn disguise after disguise to keep her true identity a secret from the brazen bloodsuckers, her cover’s finally been blown, placing her in terrible danger.
As if that wasn’t enough, a woman from Bone’s past is determined to bury him once and for all. Caught in the crosshairs of a vengeful vamp, yet determined to help Bone’s stop a lethal magic from being unleashed, Cat’s about to learn the true meaning of bad blood. And the tricks she’s learned as a special agent won’t help her. She will need to fully embrace her vampire instincts in order to save herself – and Bones – from a fate worse than the grave.
Currently Reading: Nightlight: A Parody - The Harvard Lampoon
"Then I decided to really fight. I jumped up to kick Josh in the butt. I got kind of embarrased mid-kick though, so it ended up being more of a timid toe-tap. His butt cheeks juggled, unscathed, sending me backwards into the empty grave he had come out of."
I am completely outraged by this cover. Not because everyone else is, but just because I am seriously struggling to wrap my head around the fact that Bloomsbury even pulled this stunt to begin with!
If you haven't heard yet via the Blogosphere basically Magic Under Glass is a story based around a girl of colour. Bloomsbury in all their infinite wisdom published the cover with a white girl on it. This has really got me spewing because:
One - we're living in the 21st Century for Christ sake, who the hell do Bloomsbury think they are?
Two - this poor author is going to get slammed and boycotted because of Bloomsbury, it isnt her fault yet its going to be her name that gets dragged through the mud.
Three - the sheer inaccuracy of the cover is just wrong.
Four - the fact that Bloomsbury obviously thought that they would get more sales with a white girl than a black one which is absolutely disgusting.
I live in a country so diverse that I've grown up not even seeing colour, every one is just a person so this is something that is very hard for me to understand. Bloomsbury, I lost a lot of respect for you today. If I ever get published, I don't care if you're my last option, I am not going to go near you. One of my stories has a red head in it...you going to make the cover blonde for more sales? Assholes.
Anyway, that is my two cents on this particular subject.
I love it how you can just tell you are going to love a book...I can tell just by looking at this cover that I am going to love it...so excited to read it!!! Hopefully I will get it soon!!!
All you have to do is spell out your name (any name doesnt have to be your first or even your real name) I'm using my childhood nickname...Tinkerbell (yes I know its cheesy, but hay better than trying to read so many "A"'s)
The A to Z challenge is just that simple read a book starting with each letter of the alphabet OR read a book whose author starts with each letter of the alphabet...or you can do both...
Hehe, it's not as bad as it sounds, don't crucify me yet!.
Basically I've just finished reading the Night Huntress books, as you may have noticed with the reviews that are coming through...well i finished them, but they are those kinds of books that are so well written that they stay on your mind for ages...even when you try to immerse yourself into another book.
I keep wanting Bones to pop up in the pages of Hush...and when he doesnt I'm mildly disappointed, which is completely crazy I know, but also true...
Might not help that I'm not liking Hush at ALL at the moment, hopefully it will pick up soon...
I will say it now...I'm officially a Bones addict...I think he may have surpassed Dimitri (Vampire Academy)...because basically, I only dreamt about Dimitri once...whereas Bones has cropped up a few times now hehe.
Might also be that I'm still on board the Paranormal Plane at the moment, so other things just aren't doing it for me :( Oh well...such a hard life I know lol.
Reviews for the entire Night Huntress series and Hush will be coming soon.
Half-Vampire Cat Crawfield is now special Agent Cat Crawfield, working for the government to rid the world of the rogue undead. She’s still using everything Bones, her sexy and dangerous ex, taught her, but when Cat is targeted for assassination, the only man who can help her is the vampire she left behind.
Being around him awakens all her emotions, from the adrenaline kick of slaying vamps side by side to the reckless passion that consumed them. But a price on her head – wanted; dead or half-alive – means her survival depends on teaming up with Bones. And no matter how hard she tries to keep things professional between them; she’ll find that desire lasts forever...and that Bones won’t let her get away again.
Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father – the one responsible for ruining her mother’s life. Then she’s captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unholy partnership.
In exchange for finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She’s amazed she doesn’t end up as his dinner – are there actually good vampires? Pretty soon Bones will have her convinced that been half-dead doesn’t have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her newfound status as a kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers. Now Cat will have to choose a side...and Bones is turning out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.
Collaborations, I love them, getting together a group of people to talk about something that they love. Well we are book reviewers in this little section of internet we call home, so how about we do a series of collaborations?
Each collaboration will have a theme, and a list of five to twenty books. All you have to do is pick a book or books, which ever takes your fancy, read them and write a review. Once you've finished go back to the sign up page of the Collaboration you've joined and leave a link to your review. On your review page you can also leave a link to the collaboration sign up sheet, so that your readers can get a different view point.
There will be a sign up sheet and I will provide a list of all the people joining in on each book, there is no deadline, its a way to connect with each other and share opinions.
The first collaboration I'm thinking of is "Controversial Books" eg Catcher in the Rye, Lolita, The Satanic Verses, Nineteen Eighty Four.
So of the list you would pick one or more titles to read and review, then down the bottom of that review leave a link saying something along the lines of this is part of the Controversial Books Collaboration. Thats it!!!
Then your readers have the choice to look at the opinions of others on that book...
So interested? If we get enough people doing it..I'll even make a button if you like... :)
This week I found 2 new books thanks to the book blogging community.
Dirty Little Secrets by C. J. Omololu
Summary taken from Shelfari
Everyone has a secret. But Lucy’s is bigger and dirtier than most. It’s one she’s been hiding for years—that her mom’s out-of-control hoarding has turned their lives into a world of garbage and shame. She’s managed to keep her home life hidden from her best friend and her crush, knowing they’d be disgusted by the truth. So, when her mum dies suddenly in their home, Lucy hesitates to call 911 because revealing their way of life would make her future unbearable—and she begins her two-day plan to set her life right. With details that are as fascinating as they are disturbing, C. J. Omololu weaves an hour-by-hour account of Lucy’s desperate attempt at normalcy. Her fear and isolation are palpable as readers are pulled down a path from which there is no return, and the impact of hoarding on one teen’s life will have readers completely hooked.
Willow by Julia Hoban
Summary taken from Shelfari
Seven months ago, on a rainy March night, sixteen year- old Willow’s parents died in a horrible car accident. Willow was driving. Now her older brother barely speaks to her, her new classmates know her as the killer orphan girl, and Willow is blocking the pain by secretly cutting herself. But when one boy —one sensitive, soulful boy—discovers Willow’s secret, it sparks an intense relationship that turns the “safe” world Willow has created for herself upside down. Told in an extraordinary fresh voice, Willow is an unforgettable novel about one girl’s struggle to cope with tragedy, and one boy’s refusal to give up on her.
Ok, I have found a layout that I like for the moment...so I'm changing over tonight when I get home. Problem is...because I have so much unique content on my blog it is going to wipe all of my extra content...suckish...so I will try as quickly as I can to get everything back to normal...but I might miss some things to start off with..so just bear with me :)
Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counsellors, and the most patient of teachers. - Charles W. Eliot
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I AM NOT ACCEPTING ANY BOOKS FOR REVIEW UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
I'm always up for anything anyone feels like sending me, the only genres I don't like is anything to do with the Wars (WWI, WWII, Vietnam), Hard-core Sci-Fi, and Non-Fiction (Memoires I will consider).
If anyone wants contests hosted or reviews posted don't hesitate to ask.
Feel free to contact me at: wings (dot) reviews (at) gmail (dot) com
