Book Review - The Gatekeepers

The Gatekeepers (The O'Deirg Family Saga #2) by Richard Sutton

What is it about:
A secret, family legacy invites betrayal. Again.

For ten years, Finn has raised a fine flock of sheep and children, but his sister and her family are returning to the farm, lost cousins are on their way from America, and a war of reprisal is raging only miles away. Who can he and Claire trust, when behind every familiar door lurks a new threat? Who can they really call family?

Return to the O'Deirg's green pastures on the rugged Co. Mayo coast, and learn more from within...

What did I think of it:
A more than worthy successor to The Red Gate.

The writing is yet again beautiful and poetic and the story rich and intriguing, although this time there's a different overall mood. Where The Red Gate is a tale of mystery, discovery and finding your place in the world, The Gatekeepers is much more about family, sacrifice, love and hope. I like how Sutton uses the landscape and weather to set the mood for the story, almost as if they were part of the cast of characters.

Speaking of characters: I was happy to see my favourite character Finn return in a leading role and loved to see how he interacted with his family. He might seem to think you're better born lucky than smart, but he's got his own kind of wisdom that makes him a memorable character.

I hope Sutton will continue to add to his O'Deirg Family Saga, or maybe write about the family history of other characters (like Cora) as this book made me hungry for more.

Why should you read it:
If you like historical stories with a hint of the supernatural you really should try this saga.

Waiting on Wednesday - Storm's Heart

Storm's Heart by Thea Harrison

He’s a wyr warrior, a god of storms. She’s the heir to the Dark Fae throne. But desire will bring both to their knees in this all-new Novel of the Elder Races.

During the rule of her murderous Dark Fae uncle, Thistle “Tricks” Periwinkle found sanctuary among the wyr in New York. Her ethereal beauty and sparkling personality won the hearts of the public, but after her uncle’s death, there are those who don’t want to see her ascend to the throne…

Able to wield thunder and lightning, wyr sentinel Tiago Black Eagle has ruled the skies for centuries. His massive build and thunderous power make him one of the wyr’s best weapons. And he’s sent to protect Tricks when she’s almost assassinated in Chicago.

Soon, both Tiago and Tricks will fall prey to the stormy hunger that engulfs them—a passion that will shake the very foundation of all the worlds…

Available August 2, 2011

Teaser Tuesdays - The Red Heart of Jade

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"What does that mean?" he said to Kevin, ignoring her.
"Yo, what does that mean?"
"It means you are a monster," Kevin said, and he turned and ran into the inferno.
(page 120, The Red Heart of Jade by Marjorie M. Liu)

Shadow Touch - Book Review

Shadow Touch (Dirk & Steele #2) by Marjorie M. Liu

What is it about:
Elena Baxter can work miracles with her fingers. She can coax bones to knit, flesh to heal. She can mend the soul. She has been doing such work for almost all of her twenty-eight years. That is why she will be taken.

The media called it a rampage of terror, the recent murders. But fighting crime is why Artur Loginov joined Dirk & Steele. The international detective agency specializes in the impossible, and their creed is simple: Help those in need, no matter how difficult, and no matter what, keep the secret safe. For the agency helps its employees, too; people like Artur—the gifted, the tormented. Dirk & Steele gave the Russian emigre purpose, protection, community...and refuge from his past, for who can trust a man who can start a fire with his mind, or shape-shift, or read others’ thoughts as easily as drawing breath? For his similar talent, Artur will be taken.

Into the darkness Elena and Artur will be drawn, into the clutches of evil. Cornered, isolated, caged, they will fight for their very souls. But salvation awaits. it exists in a form least expected: a dream of a face, a brush of a mind, the hint of a kiss, and finally, at long last, a shadow touch.

What did me and Voodoo Bride think of it:
One of the things I love about Liu's stories is that they make you think about things like making the right choice without them turning into a preachy lesson. Instead they're awesome, action-packed romantic adventures.

Take Shadow Touch for example:
(as it's the book I'm reviewing right now :-p)

It's got an intense, disturbing and exciting action storyline, a very satisfying romance and super cool characters. The world building is woven well into the story and set up in a way that makes me want to read more of this series as it hints at lots of exciting possibilities. Elena and Artur are both very likeable characters and they're joined by a couple of very intriguing other characters of which at least one will get his own book to Voodoo Bride's delight. The one thing I can say against this story is that I found the climax of the story a bit too easy, even though it all fit together perfectly. But this small flaw didn't diminish my enjoyment of this book in any way and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool, action-packed Paranormal Romance

And We Have a Winner!

The Random Number generator has spoken:

Stella (Ex Libris) has won my extra copy of The Last Twilight!

Stella: I'll be emailing you.

As to everyone else: Thanks for participating and hope you'll have better luck next time. (I'm almost at 120 followers, so might even be soon.)

The Last Twilight Giveaway Reminder

There's still time to enter my giveaway here.

Nightfall - Book Review

Nightfall (Dark Age Dawning #1) by Ellen Connor

What is it about:
Growing up with an unstable, often absent father who preached about the end of the world, Jenna never thought in her wildest nightmares that his predictions would come true. Or that he would have a plan in place to save her-one that includes the strong, stoic man who kidnaps and takes her to a remote cabin in the Pacific Northwest.

The mysterious ex-Marine named Mason owes a life-debt to Jenna's father. Skilled and steadfast, he's ready for the prophesied Change, but Jenna proves tough to convince. Until the power grid collapses and mutant dogs attack-vicious things that reek of nature gone wrong.

When five strangers appear, desperate to escape the bloodthirsty packs, Jenna defies her protector and rescues them. As technology fails and the old world falls away, Jenna changes too, forever altered by supernatural forces. To fight for their future, she and Mason must learn to trust their instinctive passion-a flame that will see them through the bitter winter, the endless nights, and the violence of a new Dark Age.

What did I think of it:
I will confess I expected this book to be all romance with a small side order of paranormal action, especially as it's classified as Paranormal Romance. But being an absolute sucker for post-apocalyptic settings and knowing one of the two authors behind the name Ellen Connor was Ann Aguirre (the other being Carrie Lofty), I was curious enough to want to give this book a try.

And I was proven wrong in my assumptions once again!

This book is a seriously awesome post apocalyptic adventure and totally blew me away.

Aguirre and Lofty create a thrilling, dangerous and exciting world, filled with monsters, horrors, heroes, hope and love. The writing is excellent and the story grabbed me from the start: I just couldn't put the book down until I finished it. The characters were all amazing and felt very lifelike. Next to the lead characters there are some really cool other characters and I'm already looking forward to reading the other books in this trilogy as my favourite character will be lead character in book 3.

The romance was both frustrating and satisfying. Jenna and Mason were seriously ruffling each others feathers in a way that made me want to kick them, but at the same time it fit with their personalities and their background, so I'd have been disappointed if they had acted otherwise.

All in all a read that has a big chance of ending up in my list of favourite books of 2011.

Why should you read it:
This book is made of post apocalyptic awesomeness!

Waiting on Wednesday - The Mortal Bone

I'm so want to read this book and I have to wait till December! It's a good thing I just discovered Liu's Dirk & Steele series so I can read that while waiting.

When the bond Maxine Kiss shares with Zee and the boys-the demons tattooed on her skin-is deliberately severed, the hunter is left vulnerable and unprotected. For the first time in ten thousand years, the boys have a taste of freedom-without Maxine’s guiding influence.

As they grow more violent and unpredictable, Maxine starts to fear the little demons will lose their minds without their attachment to her. But reuniting won’t be easy, as a great temptation waits for her little demons : a chance to return to their lives….and unleash hell on earth.

Teaser Tuesdays - Nightfall

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

In the mid-twenty-first century, the power grid collapsed. No warning. Religious citizens called it the Rapture or the end times, but there came no blood rain or plague of locusts.
(page 1, Nightfall by Ellen Connor)

Tiger Eye - Book Review

Tiger Eye (Dirk & Steele #1) by Marjorie M. Liu

What is it about:
He looks completely out of place in Dela Reese’s Beijing hotel room—like the tragic hero of some epic tale, exotic and poignant. He is like nothing from her world, neither his variegated hair nor his feline yellow eyes. Yet Dela has danced through the echo of his soul, and she knows this warrior would obey.

Hari has been used and abused for millennia; he is jaded, dull, tired. But upon his release from the riddle box, Hari sees his new mistress is different. In Dela’s eyes he sees a hidden power. This woman is the key. If only he dares protect, where before he has savaged; love, where before he’s known hate. For Dela, he will dare all.

What did Voodoo Bride and me think of it:

I will confess I had expected this to be a book for Voodoo Bride alone, as this sounded like it would be too romancy for me.

I was wrong!
I absolutely love this book!

As it is a Paranormal Romance there is a lot of romance of course, but it's mixed with a thrilling, intense, action-packed adventure that kept me on the edge of my seat. Just a few pages into this book it got both of us hooked and wouldn't let us go. Liu's writing is excellent as always and the world she creates in this story is just as intriguing as the one she created in her Hunter Kiss series.

Voodoo Bride was particularly taken with the romance storyline, which is both intense and sweet. Apart from Hari there are some other cool male characters introduced in this book and after finishing this read Voodoo Bride immediately checked all other books in this series to see if any of those males would get their own book.

All in all this was an awesome read and we're both looking forward to reading the rest of this series.

Why should you read it:
This book has it all: action, adventure, magic and romance

Toonopolis: Gemini - Book Review

Toonopolis: Gemini (Toonopolis Files, #1) by Jeremy Rodden (illustrations by Cami Woodruff)

What is it about:
Toonopolis is a cartoon city that is home to the thoughts and ideas of all sentient beings in the universe. As the center of the Tooniverse, it acts as an other-worldly rest stop for these creations.

Gemini is a teenage human boy who is thrust into Toonopolis through his father's scientific research program. He loses part of himself in the process and immediately begins a quest to regain his lost memories with the help of his Tooniverse guide named Jimbob the Talking Eggplant.

After an altercation with a mysterious Shadowy Figure, Gemini's mission is changed, an he begins a new quest to defeat Shadowy Figure and protect Toonopolis from his nefarious destruction. Along the way, he meets new friends, discovers just how diverse and strange Toonopolis is, and learns lessons about compassion, forgiveness, redemption, and being true to oneself.

What did I think of it:
An original and fun story.
Rodden has a pleasant, descriptive writing style and he paints a colourful, quirky world with many very recognisable elements for those who read comics and manga and for those who play roleplaying games. I really liked Gemini, but I liked his travel companions even more I will confess, especially Jimbob, the talking eggplant who's perfectly cast as Gemini's guide as well as comic relief. The story is funny, suspenseful and full of action, leading to a conclusion that leaves you hungry for more. All in all this is a very enjoyable and exciting adventure, set in a fantastical world and I can advice it to anyone who's looking for a fun read.

Why should you read it:
It's a very original YA read.

Fierce Dawn - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

Fierce Dawn by Amber Scott
ebook

What is it about:
Snarling teeth, glowing eyes. Someone--something--is after Sadie.

The man who haunts her dreams enters her reality, claiming she's transforming into a changeling--not quite immortal but no longer human.

Battlelines are drawn and blood spills as the two fight not only for her life, but for mankind's as well.

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
I loved the romance and the world building in this story. Scott creates an original paranormal world that exists secretly alongside our own and which is filled with intriguing immortal creatures. Sadie is a complex character, both vulnerable and strong at the same time and the interaction between her and Elijah (the male lead) is wonderful to read. There were some other characters though who I really, truly disliked and who I would have kicked senseless if I'd been Sadie, but she's too kind to do so sadly enough. Annoyance for these individuals aside I really enjoyed the story and I'm looking forward to more books in this same setting.

Why should you read it:
It's got a really sexy, winged hero!

My Win: Your Win? - Giveaway

Today I received four books from Marjorie M. Liu's Dirk & Steele series! I won them in a giveaway Marjorie held at her blog.

And they're all signed as well!

I haven't read any books from the Dirk & Steele series yet, but I absolutely love Marjorie's Hunter Kiss series, so I'm pretty sure I will enjoy reading these books.

Marjorie: Thanks for this awesome prize!


I almost hear you thinking: 'So the pig won some books, what does that have to do with me?'

It so happens to be that on the day I won the giveaway I also just bought The Last Twilight.

As I don't need two copies of the same book I decided to spread the joy and my love for Marjorie M. Liu's writing by giving away my extra copy of The Last Twilight. It's sparkling new, unread (and unsigned as I'm not going to give away my signed copy ofcourse!) and waiting for a new owner.

So what do you have to do to be entered in my giveaway?

- Leave a comment on this post to let me know you want to be entered in the giveaway
- Leave a way for me to contact you
- Do this before June 26th as I will randomly pick a winner on that day
- As usual: open internationally and you do not need to be a follower to enter

The Chronicles of Gyzra volume 1 - Book Review

The Chronicles of Gyzra - volume 1 Contagion by Sarah Childs

What is it about:
Eiki, an 18 year old boy lives alone with his sister, Mikana. One day a strange black rain falls over his village causing ordinary animals to transform into terrifying creatures. These new creatures seem to be obsessed with one name, 'Gyzra'.

What did I think of it:
This is a very short Manga. That shouldn't have to be a problem, but in this case the story is set up in such a way that just as you're getting into it you've also finished it already. What little there is of the story is intriguing, although a bit confusing as well. So I'd have liked it better if the story had been a bit longer so I could get a real sense of it.

The drawings are - well - typical Manga. Meaning they're not bad, but they don't have anything special either. As I understand it, this is Childs' first Manga and for a beginning Manga artist she certainly has the talent, but I'm hoping she'll develop her own unique style along the way as for now it's too generic to stand out among the many.

Why should you read it:
It's a decently drawn Manga

Buy it here

Waiting on Wednesday - Feast

Feast: Harvest of Dreams will be released on June 28th.
I really want to read it, but will first have to find time to read my way through my current to-be-read pile I'm afraid.

Here's the synopsis of Feast: Harvest of Dreams:
It’s a love story, a fantasy, and a fairy tale, all in one. Feast tells the tale of two broken-hearted people—one, a creature from another world and, the other, a woman who writes fantasy—who stumble upon each other during a dangerous hunt in the mountains. He has the power to stop time and she has the power to change destiny, but despite the magic they both possess, neither of them will be safe once the hunt begins. The lives of the entire village of Ticonderoga Falls hang in the balance when dark magic is unleashed.

But anything can happen beneath the light of the full moon.

Doesn't that sound cool?!

Teaser Tuesdays - The Trouble with Demons

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Reading multiple books at the moment while having little time to read. Here's a teaser from one of them.

"You're looking quite at home here," I told Talon.
The goblin shrugged. "I've had a few unfortunate misunderstandings with watchers in my time."
(page 26, The Trouble with Demons by Lisa Shearin)

Deceived by the Others - Early Book review

*
Deceived By The Others (H&W Investigations #3) by Jess Haines

What is it about:
Shiarra's relationship with sexy werewolf Chaz is somewhat unconventional. Still, after a few bumps, Shia is ready to get serious. That means meeting family - or in this case, bringing Chaz's entire werewolf pack along for a rollicking full-moon weekend in the Catskills. Soon after they arrive, threatening notes appear, warning Chaz to go home. Then, their cabin is ransacked. Shia starts digging to find out whether it's the work of teenaged werewolves or something more sinister. As rumours about her vampire connections arouse the pack's hostility, Shia has to contend with other, potentially fatal dangers.

What did I think of it:

This is one of those series that just keeps getting better and better with each book. Haines sure knows how to keep her readers on the edge of their seat. I went through a wide range of emotions while reading this third installment: I laughed, fumed and cried. Haines succeeded in making me love Shia even more than I already did and make me truly loathe some other characters in this book.

The writing and world building are both just excellent if not even better as in the first books and I love how Haines manages to expand on her world in a natural, believable way. I also liked the focus on the werewolf pack and the understanding it gave me into how Haines' wolves interact with each other and those around them.

The story itself is very suspenseful, funny, frustrating, exciting and utterly awesome and I will tell you that when you finish it you will want to immediately read it again while you're counting the days till book 4 will be released. It's that awesome!

Any negative points?
Voodoo Bride complained that there wasn't enough of Royce's butt in this book, but as Voodoo Bride would still have complained if half the book was a description of Royce's butt I wouldn't listen to her too much if I were you.

Why should you read it:
It's an awesome UF story with weres, vampires and more.


* I received an ARC from the author for review, but I can assure you this didn't influence my thoughts about this book.

Deceived by the Others will be released July 1st 2011, pre-order today:

Monster - Book Review

Monster by A. Lee Martinez

What is it about:
Meet Monster. Meet Judy. Two humans who don't like each other much, but together must fight dragons, fire-breathing felines, trolls, Inuit walrus dogs, and a crazy cat lady - for the future of the universe.Monster runs a pest control agency. He's overworked and has domestic troubles - like having the girlfriend from hell.Judy works the night shift at the local Food Plus Mart. Not the most glamorous life, but Judy is happy. No one bothers her and if she has to spell things out for the night-manager every now and again, so be it.But when Judy finds a Yeti in the freezer aisle eating all the Rocky Road, her life collides with Monster's in a rather alarming fashion. Because Monster doesn't catch raccoons; he catches the things that go bump in the night. Things like ogres, trolls, and dragons. Oh, and his girlfriend from Hell? She actually is from Hell.

What did I think of it:
A witty and fun read. Lee Martinez creates an original, colorful world filled with weird creatures and strange magic. I really liked both Monster and Judy, although I will confess I didn't always like them when they were together. It's pleasantly written and the story is filled with action and humor and had me laughing out loud at certain moments. I wasn't particularly glad with some turns in the story, but everything fit well together I will admit. I will certainly consider reading more books by A. Lee Martinez.

Why should you read it:
It's a fun, original, magic-filled story.

Right Hand Magic - Book Review

Right Hand Magic (Golgotham #1) by Nancy A. Collins

What is it about:
Like most Manhattanites, aspiring artist Tate can't resist a good rental deal-even if it's in the city's strangest neighborhood, Golgotham, where for centuries werewolves, centaurs, and countless other creatures have roamed the streets.
Her new landlord is a sorcerer name Hexe, who is determined to build his reputation without using dark, left-hand magic. As Tate is drawn into Hexe's fascinating world, they both find that the right hand does not always know what the left hand is doing-and avoiding darkness is no easy trick...

What did I think of it:
Being a lefty myself I've grumbled a bit over the concept of left handed magic being dark, evil magic, but otherwise I really enjoyed this book. The writing is easy going and bubbly at times and took me some getting used to, but it worked for this story. I really liked the world building and setting which is very imaginative and the characters were fun and quirky. The story itself could have used a bit more bite in my opinion though. It all felt a bit too easy (which in part might have been caused by the writing style) and I didn't even fret for one moment about the outcome of this book. All in all I might consider reading more by Collins in the future.

Why should you read it:
It's a fun, fluffy Urban Fantasy.

Zoo City - Book Review

Zoo City by Lauren Beukes

What is it about:
Zinzi has a Sloth on her back, a dirty 419 scam habit and a talent for finding lost things. But when a little old lady turns up dead and the cops confiscate her last paycheck, she’s forced to take on her least favourite kind of job – missing persons.

Being hired by reclusive music producer Odi Huron to find a teenybop pop star should be her ticket out of Zoo City, the festering slum where the criminal underclass and their animal companions live in the shadow of hell’s undertow.

Instead, it catapults Zinzi deeper into the maw of a city twisted by crime and magic, where she’ll be forced to confront the dark secrets of former lives – including her own.

What did I think of it:
This looked like it would be a great read at first. Intriguing, original setting, feisty, but likeable heroine, well written (even while it's written in present tense), but in the end this story fell flat for me.

I'm willing to go a long way in taking things at face value when it comes to paranormal/supernatural occurences, but Beukes managed to stretch things a bit too far for my tastes. When something supernatural happens to such a select and well defined group of people as in Zoo City I'm not going to take 'it just happened' as an answer, I want an explanation besides all the wild speculations from the characters to keep believing in the story. And while I already was impatient for not having things explained, the story hit me with occurences that were just too out of there to make sense to me. So in the end this book left me with a feeling of bewilderment and disappointment.

Why should you read it:
It's well written and has a very original setting.

Teaser Tuesdays - Zoo City

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

As the car pulls away into the night, D'Nice separates from the group across the road and saunters over, swinging an empty lengolongola. His Vervet Monkey hugs his neck for balance.
(page 167, Zoo City by Lauren Beukes)

The Red Gate - Book Review

The Red Gate (The O'Deirg Family Saga #1) by Richard Sutton

What is it about:
An unexplained drowning...
A muddy fall...

... for a small, tradional Irish family, a chain of unexpected events leads them to uncover ancient secrets about theirselves and their place in the greater world. As the greed and ambition of an unfolding plan begins to threaten their very lives, what will become of their home and it's hidden legacy? What will become of their sheep?

The saga of the Red Gate begins...

What did I think of it:

A beautifully written historical fantasy set in the early years of the 20th century.

I think I love the writing in this book even more than the story. It's lyrical and descriptive and that alone made this book a joy to read. That being said: I also loved the story. It's intriguing and suspenseful with very likeable as well as despicable characters. The viewpoint switches from time to time to give you an overall picture of events and I felt myself fuming when seeing things from the viewpoint of one of the characters I didn't like. All in all Sutton managed to get me totally engrossed in the life of the O'Deirg family (especially Finn, my favourite character) and although the book luckily doesn't have a cliffhanger ending, I'm curious what's next for the O'Deirg family and their sheep.

Why should you read it:
It's a beautifully written, intriguing family saga