The Sound of Useless Wings - Free Short Story Alert

You might have heard me rave about the awesomeness of Cecil Castellucci's books. The first of her books I read was Tin Star . My favorite character in that book was Heckleck, so you can understand I was over the moon to discover Cecil Castellucci wrote a short story about him for Tor.com.

It is a beautiful story in my opinion.

And you can read it for free!


The Sound of Useless Wings
CECIL CASTELLUCCI
illustration by DOMINICK SAPONARO

In this prequel to Tin Star, we meet Heckleck, the Hort alien who befriends Tula Bane on the space station Yertina Feray in her fight for survival. In his modest beginnings, Heckleck is raised to understand that breeding and propagating his own kind is the sole reason for living. When he is called upon to settle on a new planet, he meets the daughter of a politician, Goglu, with whom he falls helplessly in love, and is determined to win over. But nothing is easy in love and space exploration, and when his plans become thwarted, he must find a new way of life.

This short story was acquired and edited for Tor.com by Connie Hsu.

Read it here

Snake Eyes - Release Day Promo Post

~NEW RELEASE~


Snake Eyes by Melissa Pearl

AMAZON: http://amzn.to/1wGtgJ7
SW: http://bit.ly/1tBKlsu
iBOOKS: http://bit.ly/1ySy6YZ
BN: http://bit.ly/1zFMqXl

Caitlyn Davis expects her sophomore year at UCLA to be perfect...until she walks into her dorm room to find Special Agent Zoey Kaplan of the FBI waiting for her. In that instant, she knows her idyllic year with new best friends, Nicole and Dale, along with her super hot boyfriend, Eric, is about to fall apart.

Having been forced to work with the FBI months earlier, Caity accidentally gave away her special ability to read people's emotions and know whether they were telling the truth. Now, Kaplan wants Caity to go undercover again for a secret operation that will bring her close to the sadistic Diego Mendez, a man believed to be involved in human trafficking.

Eric Shore is not a man who trusts easily. Having been burned multiple times, it’s hard for him to open up completely, but his love for Caity makes him want to try. Yet, her sudden withdrawal worries him, particularly when she chooses to spend time with her new roommate, Quella Mendez, over him. When Caity’s behavior begins to match that of her wild roommate, Eric wonders if their relationship is as strong as he believed.

As Caity struggles to maintain her relationship and do her job, she finds herself pulled further into a dangerous world that could take away everything she holds dear. Will Eric learn the truth in time to save her? Or will the man with the eyes of a snake destroy their perfect romance?

From a Whisper to a Scream - Book Review

From a Whisper to a Scream (Newford #3)
by Charles de Lint

What is it about:
In the early 1990s, Charles de Lint wrote and published three dark fantasy novels under the pen name "Samuel M. Key”. Now, Orb presents them for the first time under de Lint’s own name.

Years after the death of a notorious child murderer, people have begun to die again...and a crime photographer begins to suspect he has the one true clue that connects the horrific events.

What did I think of it:
After reading and really liking The Blue Girl I wanted to read more by Charles de Lint. I decided to pick this book because it sounded like it might be a dark and scary read.

And it is indeed a lot darker and a lot more grim, but just as beautiful despite its darkness.

The story is told from multiple viewpoints, some of the characters likable, others far more seedier. My favorite character was Thomas Morningstar, a Native American police officer. I thought the story line about him trying to find his place in society, torn between his loyalty to his tribe and his desire to make a place for himself in the world outside of the reservation was very compelling.

The overall story is very gripping and suspenseful. It doesn't take long to figure out who the killer is, but it's all about how, and if, he can be stopped. There are themes of abuse, trying to move on from life shattering events, and holding on to the past.

This story isn't an easy one, but still I loved it and was drawn in. The ending gives hope, and I will most probably reread this book in the future. And I most certainly will get my trotters on more books by de Lint.

Why should you read it:
It's a dark, but compelling read.

On McPig's Wishlist - Extracted

Tesla and time travel?! I want this book!


Extracted (The Lost Imperials #1)
by Sherry D. Ficklin & Tyler Jolley

Welcome to the war.

The Tesla Institute is a premier academy that trains young time travelers called Rifters. Created by Nicola Tesla, the Institute seeks special individuals who can help preserve the time stream against those who try to alter it.

The Hollows is a rogue band of Rifters who tear through time with little care for the consequences. Armed with their own group of lost teens--their only desire to find Tesla and put an end to his corruption of the time stream.

Torn between them are Lex and Ember, two Rifters with no memories of their life before joining the time war.

When Lex’s girlfriend dies during a mission, the only way he can save her is to retrieve the Dox, a piece of tech which allows Rifters to re-enter their own timeline without collapsing the time stream. But the Dox is hidden deep within the Telsa Institute, which means Lex must go into the enemy camp. It’s there he meets Ember, and the past that was stolen from them both comes flooding back.

Now armed with the truth of who they are, Lex and Ember must work together to save the future before the battle for time destroys them both... again.

Outside In - Book Review

Outside In (Insiders #2)
by Maria V. Snyder

What is it about:
Me?

A leader?

Okay, I did prove that there's more to Inside than we knew.

That a whole world exists beyond this cube we live in. And finding that led to a major rebellion between worker scrubs like me and the snobby uppers who rule our world. Make that ruled. Because of me, we're free. I thought that meant I was off the hook, and could go off on my own again, while still touching base with Riley, of course. He's the one upper I think I can trust. But then we learned that there's outside and then there is Outside.

And something from Outside wants In.

What did I think of it:
I really liked Inside Out, still it took me forever (and a sale) to get my trotters on the sequel.

And now I'm wondering what took me so long, because this book is just as enjoyable as the first.

I will confess there were some things in this book that made me grumble. The whole relationship between Trella and her mother was puke-worthy in my opinion, but I will spare you the rant. The whole switching back and forth between who Trella thought was to be trusted and who wasn't, was tiring at times as well. Especially with Trella thinking she's a good judge of character. Big surprise: she is not!

What I did like was Trella's reluctance to taking charge and changing things. I could understand why she wanted others to make the big decisions, and I liked how she slowly begins to realize that it's better to take charge of your own life.

The overall story is enjoyable and entertaining. I really like the world building and the way the people reacted to the change Trella brought upon their world. it felt realistic.

All in all this was a satisfying conclusion to this duology, although I wouldn't mind if Snyder decides to write other Dystopian/SciFi books.

Why should you read it:
It's a very entertaining Dystopian/SciFi YA read.

Teaser Tuesdays - Of Beast and Beauty

I already finished this book, but had to share this quote.


But maybe that isn't possible. Maybe the mind of the majority is always the healthy mind, simply by virtue of its numbers. Maybe it's the definition of madness to believe I'm right and everyone else is wrong, to find my thoughts rational and reasonable when almost the entire world finds them damaged and flawed.

(page 317, Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay)




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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!

Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs - Book Review

Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs (Jane Jameson #1)
by Molly Harper

What is it about:
Maybe it was the Shenanigans gift certificate that put her over the edge. When children's librarian and self-professed nice girl Jane Jameson is fired by her beastly boss and handed twenty-five dollars in potato skins instead of a severance check, she goes on a bender that's sure to become Half Moon Hollow legend. On her way home, she's mistaken for a deer, shot, and left for dead. And thanks to the mysterious stranger she met while chugging neon-colored cocktails, she wakes up with a decidedly unladylike thirst for blood.

Jane is now the latest recipient of a gift basket from the Newly Undead Welcoming Committee, and her life-after-lifestyle is taking some getting used to. Her recently deceased favorite aunt is now her ghostly roommate. She has to fake breathing and endure daytime hours to avoid coming out of the coffin to her family. She's forced to forgo her favorite down-home Southern cooking for bags of O negative. Her relationship with her sexy, mercurial vampire sire keeps running hot and cold. And if all that wasn't enough, it looks like someone in Half Moon Hollow is trying to frame her for a series of vampire murders. What's a nice undead girl to do?

What did I think of it:
There are a lot of stereotypical characters in this book, including the heroine, but as this is what you probably could call Paranormal Chick-Lit (horrible sounding term, btw) maybe you shouldn't expect too much character depth. This book is all about quirky and funny.

The events are a little out there at times, and predictable as well, but all in all this was a very entertaining and enjoyable read.

There were some unnecessary digs at Goths which annoyed me, but that seems to be all the rage with authors who write about vampires. As if Goths aren't among their readers...

Ok... Moving on from this pet peeve of mine.

The romance was enjoyable as well, although I see a love triangle coming up in later books. That might not be a bad thing in this case, as the love interest was a bit dull in my opinion. But then again the heroine is a 'nice girl', so maybe nice girls don't do love triangles.

Anyway: even though I might sound a bit snarky about this book, I did enjoy it. I might give the second book a try as well, to see if Jane indeed decides to ditch her love interest for someone with a bit more bite :-P

Why should you read it:
It's a fun and enjoyable paranormal read.

How to Navigate Zombie Cave and Defeat Pirate Pete - Book Review

How to Navigate Zombie Cave and Defeat Pirate Pete (Slug Pie Story #1)
by Mick Bogerman

What is it about:
Armed with a pitchfork, miner’s hat, and map, Mick Bogerman dares to hunt for pirate treasure in Zombie Cave. His little brother Finley is tied up at the beach. Literally--Mick tied him up. No one needs a little brother tagging along when you’re going to slay the undead.

But Mick soon wishes he’d taken some human company with him, because lurking in every corner, reaching from every crevice, is another hungry corpse. No wonder the place is named Zombie Cave! And finding treasure in the twisty tunnels is a lot harder when your map disintegrates. And man-oh-man the cold, dark tide chases fast.

But the worst part about fighting off ravenous flesh-eaters is the one monster deadlier than a regular zombie... the worst of the worst... Pirate Pete.

What did I think of it:
Although this book is meant for children between the age of 8 and 12 I can tell you it's a cool read for older readers as well.

Mick goes hunting for gold in Zombie Cave, and the things he encounters are not for the faint of heart. The language in this book might be mild, but the gore and action are plenty. Bogerman sure knows how to write a thrilling adventure full of zombie action.

Mick is a fun lead character. He's resourceful, funny, and mostly knows how to handle himself in a tight situation. I rooted for him to succeed in his quest.

The zombies were my kind of zombies as well: undead, decaying creatures, hungry for human flesh. There were some tense situations, but nothing too scary in my opinion.

For me this was a fast and fun read, and I can advise this book to any zombie lover, and to children who don't shy away from a gory adventure tale. I think I might give the other books in this series a try as well, even though there probably won't be zombies in those.

Why should you read it:
It's a fun and action-packed read.

On McPig's Wishlist - Dark Alchemy

I love Laura Bickle's books, so I'm very excited about this upcoming book:


Dark Alchemy
by Laura Bickle

Geologist Petra Dee arrives in Wyoming looking for clues to her father's disappearance years before. What she finds instead is Temperance, a dying Western town with a gold rush past and a meth-infested present. But under the town's dust and quiet, an old power is shifting.

When bodies start turning up - desiccated and twisted skeletons that Petra can't scientifically explain - her investigations land her in the middle of a covert war between the town's most powerful interests. Petra's father wasn't the only one searching for the alchemical secrets of Temperance, and those still looking are now ready to kill.

Armed with nothing but shaky alliances, a pair of antique guns, and a relic she doesn't understand, the only thing Petra knows for sure is that she and her coyote sidekick are going to have to move fast, or die next.


Expected publication: March 24th 2015 by Harper Voyager Impulse

ACID - Book Review

ACID
by Emma Pass

What is it about:
The year is 2113. In Jenna Strong's world, ACID—the most brutal controlling police force in history—rule supreme. No throwaway comment or whispered dissent goes unnoticed—or unpunished. And it was ACID agents who locked Jenna away for life, for a horrendous crime she struggles to remember. But Jenna's violent prison time has taught her how to survive by any means necessary.

When a mysterious rebel group breaks her out, she must use her strength, speed, and skill to stay one step ahead of ACID, and try to uncover the truth about what really happened on that terrible night two years ago. They have taken her life, her freedom, and her true memories away from her. How can she reclaim anything when she doesn't know who to trust?

What did I think of it:
After reading and loving The Fearless I had to read ACID as well.

And this book doesn't disappoint.

There's lots of action, intrigue, and suspense. Jenna is thrown from one difficult and dangerous situation in the next, with almost no time to take a breath. I very much enjoyed how the story progressed, and how things fitted together.

There are some things that didn't really make sense, or were a bit too obvious, but the story was too cool to really feel annoyed by them. It was easy to suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride.

Overall this book didn't grab me as much as The Fearless did, but it was most certainly a very enjoyable read. I will keep an eye out for Pass' next book.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool, action-packed Dystopian YA read.

Teaser Tuesdays - Alienated

As he approached the windows, chants from the sidewalk grew louder, and he could finally make out what the protesters had been droning for the last hour: They say allies; we say ALL LIES! They say peace pact; we say EXPULSION ACT!

(page 141, Alienated by Melissa Landers)




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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!

Under His Touch - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

Under His Touch (Falling Under #2)
by Jeffe Kennedy

What is it about:
Amber Dolors knows better than to get involved with her boss. Devastatingly handsome in his sharp suits and sexy beyond belief, he possesses an air of command that fuels her darkest fantasies. But she's worked too hard to get this job, and keeping it will lead to a brilliant future. She won't cross that line—even if his way of giving orders and demanding her best performance gives her delicious warm shivers.

Alexander Knight prides himself on his integrity and self-discipline. After all, he hasn't risen to the position he enjoys by indulging his whims over ambition. He also isn't blind. He's certainly noticed his sharp, young assistant is hot as hell. His self-imposed sexual hermitage doesn't stop him from watching her. And endlessly fantasizing.

The day Alec's cool reserve cracks and Amber catches a glimpse of something simmering beneath his apparent indifference is the day everything between them changes. Alec gives her what she's been looking for sexually—as masterful in the bedroom as he is in the boardroom. He finds himself in the grip of an affair that tests even his boundaries, while Amber's new role as willing student pushes them both past any consideration other than mutual longing.

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
Jeffe delivered yet another delicious read!

This book has so much goodness to offer its readers.

There's steaming hot scenes, emotional scenes, and a very compelling romance.

I liked how it is Amber who is the stronger of the two, even though she's younger and the submissive. She knows herself and what she wants, something that Alec still has to figure out for himself. Their interaction is full of tension, both sexual and emotional. I very much enjoyed reading how they explore their feelings and wants together.

Something else I really enjoyed is how Jeffe used one of my favorite comic book characters (Dream from the Sandman series by Neil Gaiman) as a comparison to Alec and his growth throughout the book. I know as a big fan of this comic book series it will probably have an extra layer for me, but for those not familiar with the comic it is written in a way you won't feel lost.

All in all this is a delightful, and awesome BDSM romance that I will most certainly reread in the future. I'll be getting my hands on the last book in this series once it releases for sure.

Why should you read it:
It's a deliciously hot and intense BDSM read


Find buy links here

The Best of All Possible Worlds - Book Review

The Best of All Possible Worlds
by Karen Lord

What is it about:
A proud and reserved alien society finds its homeland destroyed in an unprovoked act of aggression, and the survivors have no choice but to reach out to the indigenous humanoids of their adopted world, to whom they are distantly related. They wish to preserve their cherished way of life but come to discover that in order to preserve their culture, they may have to change it forever.

Now a man and a woman from these two clashing societies must work together to save this vanishing race—and end up uncovering ancient mysteries with far-reaching ramifications. As their mission hangs in the balance, this unlikely team—one cool and cerebral, the other fiery and impulsive—just may find in each other their own destinies . . . and a force that transcends all.

What did I think of it:
I will confess I was a little disappointed that once again the different sort of aliens are all human in appearance. There might be some shine hair, a strange eye color, stuff like that, but they all look human. But that's the case in most SciFi, so I decided not to hold it against this book and read on.

And this book is just so beautiful!

The story is told mostly from the viewpoint of Grace Delarua, a woman from Cygnus Beta, a planet that's become a melting pot of different humanoid species over the centuries. When the Sadiri's homeworld is destroyed a lot of the survivors end up on Cygnus Beta. Grace joins an expedition to find if there are people on the planet with a genetic make-up that's close enough to the Sadiri to help the Sadiri save/continue their species.

The things that happen on the expedition make a compelling story and would have entertained me on its own easily, but it was the developing relationship between Grace Delarua and Dllenahkh (one of the Sadiri) that made me fall in love with this book. It's one of the most quiet and matter of fact romances I ever read, but it's so heartwarming and sweet. The way they interact, and get to know each other, each other's customs and background was really touching. There was no drama, no horrible misunderstanding, no love triangles, just two people who grow towards each other and slowly start realizing what the other means to them.

I had expected to like this book, instead I fell in love with it and had a hard time putting it down. I will most certainly reread it, and I will investigate what other books Lord had written.

Why should you read it:
It's a beautiful story about a cross-species liaison
(Yeah, I just couldn't resist inserting a romantic remark from Garrus from Mass Effect 3 here ;-) )

On McPig's Wishlist - Mechanica

I confess: I totally want this book for the cover, but it does sound like a cool Cinderella retelling as well.


Mechanica
by Betsy Cornwell

Nicolette’s awful stepsisters call her “Mechanica” to demean her, but the nickname fits: she learned to be an inventor at her mother’s knee. Her mom is gone now, though, and the Steps have turned her into a servant in her own home.

But on her sixteenth birthday, Nicolette discovers a secret workshop in the cellar and begins to dare to imagine a new life for herself. Could the mysterious books and tools hidden there—and the mechanical menagerie, led by a tiny metal horse named Jules—be the key to escaping her dreary existence? With a technological exposition and royal ball on the horizon, the timing might just be perfect for Nicolette to earn her freedom at last.

Gorgeous prose and themes of social justice and family shine in this richly imagined Cinderella retelling about an indomitable inventor who finds her prince . . . but realizes she doesn't want a fairy tale happy ending after all.


Expected publication: August 4th 2015

Feast of Fools - Book Review

Feast of Fools (The Morganville Vampires #4)
by Rachel Caine

What is it about:
In the town of Morganville, vampires and humans live in relative peace. Student Claire Danvers has never been convinced, though, especially with the arrival of Mr. Bishop, an ancient, old-school vampire who cares nothing about harmony. What he wants from the town's living and its dead is unthinkably sinister. It's only at a formal ball, attended by vampires and their human dates, that Claire realizes the elaborately evil trap he's set for Morganville.

What did I think of it:
I'm really enjoying my self with this series.
It's fun, filled with action, and uncomplicated.

I will confess I do think Claire and her friends are a bit slow to catch up on what's going on at times. I mean: vampires are having a party that they refer to as a Feast... Maybe I played too much Vampire, the Masquerade, but that would have me running for the hills, not trying to snag an invitation.

But that aside this is a really entertaining read. My favorite character from the previous book luckily returned in this book as well, and totally stole the show in my opinion. I really hope he'll be in the upcoming books as well.

I already got the next couple of books in my TBR pile and will continue reading this series soon. I can recommend this series to anyone who's looking for a fun YA series with vampires.

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

Teaser Tuesdays - The Castle of Otranto

The injustice of which thou art guilty towards me, said Theodore, convinces me that I have done a good deed in delivering the princess from thy tyranny. May she be happy, whatever becomes of me!

(page 51, The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole)




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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!

Seeker - Early Book Review

Seeker (Seeker #1)
by Arwen Elys Dayton

What is it about:
The night Quin Kincaid takes her Oath, she will become what she has trained to be her entire life. She will become a Seeker. This is her legacy, and it is an honor. As a Seeker, Quin will fight beside her two closest companions, Shinobu and John, to protect the weak and the wronged. Together they will stand for light in a shadowy world. And she'll be with the boy she loves--who's also her best friend.

But the night Quin takes her Oath, everything changes. Being a Seeker is not what she thought. Her family is not what she thought. Even the boy she loves is not who she thought.

And now it's too late to walk away.

What did I think of it:
This is a cool read.

It's told from multiple viewpoints: Quin, John and Shinobu. For me Shinobu was the easiest to relate to, but all three viewpoints managed to hold my interest in what was happening.

I will confess the story developed rather differently than I expected after reading the blurb, but that was not a bad thing. I especially liked the change of setting later in the book. The story starts out in a rather rural place, the switch to a big city improved the story in my opinion.

As for the world building: what's with the old timey stuff in a near future setting? I've encountered it in several books. I mean: the bad guys do a raid and arrive on horses! Really? I'm surprised so many of them could actually ride I must say. The whole first part of the book felt old fashioned in my opinion. Only when Quin gets to a big city this story began to feel like near future.

My grumblings about the world building aside I very much enjoyed this book though. It has lots of action, betrayal, and suspense. I will most certainly keep an eye out for the next book.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool YA Near Future Fantasy read.

Blackout - Book Rant

Blackout
by Sam Mills

What is it about:
I am on the run.
The police are chasing me
Because they think I'm a terrorist.

The trouble all began when my Dad hid the writer of a book called The Exploded in our house. It inspired a terrorist attack on London. That's why it's a BANNED book.

We live in dangerous times. The state says books have to be sweet and pleasant, so they don't inspire teenagers to commit violent crime. Get caught reading a banned book and you go to jail.

I thought the state was wrong.
How much harm can a book do?

Then I read one.
Now I'm about to commit murder.
Now I know better.

What did I think of it:
*spoilery rant!*

This book is a big mess!

It seems to have a message to tell about banning books and censorship, but what message? It keeps contradicting itself and sending conflicted messages.

Some books are being banned because they would lead to people acting in a certain unwanted way.
- The father of the lead character explains that books don't set you up to do certain things, and the lead character agrees.
- The lead character reads a banned book and immediately acts in the way the government says people will act after reading it.

One of main rebels in this book is for freedom of speech, but only when what being said/written doesn't offend him.

Another rebel tells how at first the censorship was a good thing (O_o), but then it went to far.

- The government is painted as oppressive and cruel.
- Most of the rebels are painted as radicals and cruel.

- The lead character's father giving up the name of a rebel when being tortured is logical and perfectly ok: he's just saving his own life. (O_o)
- One of the rebels kicking the lead character out on the street to save his own life is wrong!

- A few banned books being published and distributed in secret can't change the world.
- The book the lead character writes however apparently can.

I could go on and on with naming things that felt contradictory. Half the books seems to want to tell us banning books and censorship is wrong, the other half is making a case for censorship.

I kept reading in the hope this book would pick a side, and let me tell you I hoped it would pick the side of freedom of speech. But it kept wavering and contradicting. It kept painting those in favor for freedom of speech as radicals and even told that having a society that is being oppressed, is because apparently the oppressed society wanted it that way...

All in all this book really got on my nerves and left a very bad taste in my mouth.

Why should you read it:
Maybe you won't mind all the contradictory stuff in this book and want to read about a 16 year old boy taking on everyone and being the only one who's right in the end.

On McPig's Wishlist - NIL Unlocked

I very much enjoyed NIL, which is a cool Young Adult read, set on a mysterious and dangerous island. I'm looking forward to more adventure and danger, and to finding out more about the island NIL.


Nil Unlocked (Nil #2)
by Lynne Matson

On the island of Nil, the rules are set. You have exactly 365 days to escape—or you die. Rives is now the undisputed Leader of Nil City, but keeping the City united is tougher than ever.

Raiders have grown bolder, supplies are dwindling, and non-human inhabitants have taken a turn toward the deadly. New arrivals cause rifts within the City, putting the Search system at risk, and calling everything Rives knows into question. Desperate for answers, he teams up with the only other person searching for them: Skye, a new arrival with a mysterious past of her own. Soon the duo find themselves locked in a desperate race to save all the residents of Nil—and possibly destroy the island forever. But at what cost? And who will pay the price?

Expected publication: May 12th 2015

House Immortal - Book Review

House Immortal (House Immortal #1)
by Devon Monk

What is it about:
Matilda Case isn’t like most folk. In fact, she’s unique in the world, the crowning achievement of her father’s experiments, a girl pieced together from bits. Or so she believes, until Abraham Seventh shows up at her door, stitched with life thread just like her and insisting that enemies are coming to kill them all.

Tilly is one of thirteen incredible creations known as the galvanized, stitched together beings immortal and unfathomably strong. For a century, each House has fought for control over the galvanized. Now the Houses are also tangled in a deadly struggle for dominion over death—and Tilly and her kind hold the key to unlocking eternity

The secrets that Tilly must fight to protect are hidden within the very seams of her being. And to get the secrets, her enemies are willing to tear her apart piece by piece...

What did I think of it:
This is a really cool read.

I very much liked the idea of the galvanized, immortal beings who are stitched together like Frankenstein's monster. The whole society in this book is very intriguing as well. It's complex and full of backstabbing intrigue and drama.

Matilda is a great heroine, she's resourceful, headstrong and loyal to those she cares about. At times I thought she was just being stubborn for stubbornness sake though. I mean: She knows she's in a dangerous situation, with all kinds of people gunning for her, and she leaves a safe place to go out for coffee?!

There were some really cool other characters as well. I especially loved Neds, Matilda's two-headed farmhand.

The story is just as complex as the world building. There are lots of different factions involved and interested in Tilly, and I had to keep paying attention to keep up with what was going on.

Some plot lines were resolved near the end of the book, but a new one was introduced, leaving me with a cliffhanger ending. I will most certainly get my trotters on the next book once it releases.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool Alternate History/Dystopian read