TBR Orphans Challenge - Update 9

And after a great reading month in August, I almost didn't get any reading done in September.

I did manage to read one Orphaned book though:
How The White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back by Diana Rowland
It had been in my TBR pile for just over a year.

How did you do on your challenges?

Teaser Tuesdays - Heart's Blood

Today is the release day of Dark Secrets, A Paranormal Noir Anthology.

Here's a teaser from one of the stories:


“Nix,” she breathed. Then spoke it louder, laying claim to it, the nothingness that remained her one belonging. They would belong to each other, her and the empty space. Better to embrace it, the final end of her tentative dreams and the grander ones her mother had nursed for her.

(page 352, Dark Secrets - Heart's Blood by Jeffe Kennedy)


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Dark Secrets - A Paranormal Noir Anthology

Six award-winning authors bring you this spellbinding collection of stories about dark desires, mysterious worlds, and danger that lurks in the shadows of the night. Where nothing is black and white; where things might not be as they seem; where magic and mayhem rule.

MARION, MISSING by Rachel Caine

Valentine is a detective with two major problems: he's been offered a kidnapping case that will probably get him killed, and his partner won't let him turn it down. He owes her that much … since his partner's a ghost, and he's the one who killed her. A dark, haunting noir mystery of love, hate and loss.

FEMME FATALE by Cynthia Eden

PI Mick Swayne has seen it all—his clients have included liars, thieves, and even killers. He thinks he can handle anything and anyone. Then she walks into his office. Savannah Moreau is beautiful, seductive, and…a vampire? The gorgeous vamp hires Mick to help her track down a killer who is hunting in Chicago, but as Mick slips deeper into Savannah’s paranormal world, he wonders if he can really trust his new client…

DANCE WITH THE DEVIL by Megan Hart

When the devil starts the music, you'd better get ready to dance.
Kathleen Murphy has sold her soul to the devil. Fame, fortune, success...everything she's ever dreamed of is hers, and all she has to do is the devil's bidding. When love comes knocking, the last thing in the world she wants to do is involve Jake in her twisted world, but the devil's started up the jukebox and Kathleen has no choice but to learn the steps.

THE CONSORT by Suzanne Johnson

Faulkner Hearne, the captain of the ruthless Fae Hunters, finds his duty at odds with his heart when he’s ordered to capture the consort of Faerie’s cruel Prince of Summer when she flees across the veil into modern New Orleans. Can Faulk turn Liandra over to a certain death at the hands of the prince, or will he risk a war with Faerie in order to save her?

An all-new novella set in the Sentinels of New Orleans multiverse.

HEART’S BLOOD by Jeffe Kennedy, a Twelve Kingdoms novella

A dark fairytale retelling of a princess robbed of rank, husband and even her name.

Nix is nothing. The Princess Natilde—her former waiting woman—attacked her on the journey to wed Prince Cavan, stripping her of everything and taking her place. With no serving skills, Nix becomes a goose girl. Perhaps if Nix keeps her promise never to reveal who she really is, Natilde won’t carry out her vile threats. Prince Cavan entered his arranged marriage determined to have a congenial, if not loving relationship with his future queen—for the sake of both their kingdoms. But, his wife repels him more each day and he finds himself absurdly drawn to the lovely Nix.

With broken vows, anguish and dark secrets between them, Cavan and Nix struggle to find the magic to restore what’s gone terribly wrong... if it ever can be.

THE DJINN IN THE MIRROR by Mina Khan, a Djinn World novella

A paranormal Cinderella story with a young witch as the heroine and a wicked, sexy djinn instead of a fairy godmother.
Dahlia, the step-daughter of a power hungry wizard, promises to free a djinn trapped in a mirror if he rescues her from impending death. But Ashmael the djinn has his own agenda: to trick & seduce his way to freedom. The only problem is he ends up falling for Dahlia. Can he win his freedom and save the girl?




Buy Links:
Kobo - Amazon - Google play - All Romance ebooks

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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!

Dragon Heart - Book Review

Dragon Heart
by Cecelia Holland

What is it about:
Where the Cape of the Winds juts into the endless sea, there is Castle Ocean, and therein dwells the royal family that has ruled it from time immemorial. But there is an Empire growing in the east, and its forces have reached the castle. King Reymarro is dead in battle, and by the new treaty, Queen Marioza must marry one of the Emperor’s brothers. She loathes the idea, and has already killed the first brother, but a second arrives, escorted by more soldiers. While Marioza delays, her youngest son, Jeon, goes on a journey in search of his mute twin, Tirza, who needs to be present for the wedding.

As Jeon and Tirza return by sea, their ship is attacked by a shocking and powerful dragon, red as blood and big as the ship. Thrown into the water, Tirza clings to the dragon, and after an underwater journey, finds herself alone with the creature in an inland sea pool. Surprisingly, she is able to talk to the beast, and understand it.

So begins a saga of violence, destruction, and death, of love and monsters, human and otherwise.

What did I think of it:
For a book called Dragon Heart there not enough dragon in it I think.

Apart from that major grumble this is a nice enough read.

There are a bit too much viewpoint characters in my opinion, and I'd have liked a bit more in the way of world building, but overall the story is interesting once you get over the fact it's more about Castle Ocean than it is about a dragon.

Some of the names were confusing. There's one character named Broga, who is a man, but I kept forgetting who he was, because Broga sounded like a female name to me. Then there's Oto: a name that kept dragging me out of the story, because it looks wrong to me (Otto being a family name).

Because of the many different characters it was difficult to get a feel of all of them, plot often overtaking character building, but even so I had some I liked, and some I loathed. In true G.R.R. Martin tradition no one character could expect to survive just because they were made viewpoint character though, so I feared for the lives of my favorites.

I myself wasn't swept away by this story, but enjoyed it well enough. I'd advice this book to fans of plot based Fantasy, who don't mind switching back and forth between several viewpoint characters.

Why should you read it:
It's a nice Fantasy read.

On McPig's Wishlist - The Pages of the Mind

Even if I never heard about Jeffe Kennedy before, I'd have gotten my trotters on this book just for the cover.
This being the fourth book in a really amazing series, by an author I'm a total fanpiggy about, means I'll be getting my trotters on it AND I'll be buying an extra copy to give to a friend.


The Pages of the Mind
by Jeffe Kennedy

AN ORPHAN’S THRONE

Magic has broken free over the Twelve Kingdoms. The population is beset by shapeshifters and portents, landscapes that migrate, uncanny allies who are not quite human…and enemies eager to take advantage of the chaos.

Dafne Mailloux is no adventurer—she’s a librarian. But the High Queen trusts Dafne’s ability with languages, her way of winnowing the useful facts from a dusty scroll, and even more important, the subtlety and guile that three decades under the thumb of a tyrant taught her.

Dafne never thought to need those skills again. But she accepts her duty. Until her journey drops her into the arms of a barbarian king. He speaks no tongue she knows but that of power, yet he recognizes his captive as a valuable pawn. Dafne must submit to a wedding of alliance, becoming a prisoner-queen in a court she does not understand. If she is to save herself and her country, she will have to learn to read the heart of a wild stranger. And there are more secrets written there than even Dafne could suspect…


Publication date 31 May 2016

Ignited - Cover Reveal

Ignited
by Liz Long

Lucy might’ve beaten Alex the Chameleon, but the cost of his defeat was too much to bear. After losing a beloved member, Sheffield Donovan temporarily disbands the show. Abandoned by the ringmaster and her friends, Lucy is left to pick up the pieces of their ruined circus – and defend it against those waiting for the opportunity to strike.During one of these attempts, Lucy learns of Augustus Rivers, the leader of his so-called gifted mafia. When Lucy is offered a chance to infiltrate the Rivers’ household, she jumps at the opportunity to seek vengeance on the mastermind. Augustus instead surprises everyone by proposing that the powerful female Firestarter work for him. It’s everything the Donovan Circus isn’t, an offer Lucy finds more enticing than she ever expected.With the Donovan Circus in shambles and the gifted world on the cusp of war, can Lucy Sullivan figure out who she’s meant to be? Or will her fire destroy everything they’ve built?


About the Author:
Liz Long is a ridiculously proud graduate of Longwood University with a BA in English. Her inspiration comes from action and thriller genres and she spends entirely too much time watching superhero movies. Her fabulous day job as a social media editor includes writing for a publishing company in Roanoke, VA.

Her first book, Gifted, is the first book in the Donovan Circus series, where superpowers meets the circus. Burned is the second adventure. Her standalone book Witch Hearts, is a story about a serial killer hunting witches for their powers. Her newest book A Reaper Made is an NA Paranormal tale of a Reaper using magic to save her family from demons. All titles are available at Amazon on Kindle and paperback, Barnes & Noble for Nook, and iBooks.

The Vampire Prince - Book Review

The Vampire Prince (Cirque du Freak #6)
by Darren Shan

What is it about:
Branded a traitor, betrayed by a friend, hunted by the vampire clan-Darren Shan, the Vampire's Assistant, faces certain death. Can Darren reverse the odds and outwit a Vampire Prince?

Darren's initiation on Vampire Mountain draws to a stunning, bloody conclusion-but the Saga continues...

What did I think of it:
This series keeps being entertaining.

After the cliffhanger ending of the last book this books starts with some suspenseful scenes. Darren is fighting for his life.

The story then changes pace and slows down for a bit, before speeding up again to cool action.

There are some surprising events in this book I must say. Several times the story took a turn I hadn't expected. There also were some things I could see coming from miles away though, but it didn't annoy me.

What I did realize when reading this book, is that this series is a bit of a sausage fest, so to speak. I know this series is mainly aimed at boys, but it really could use some more cool female characters.

Anyway: lack of female characters aside, this is a fun and action-packed read. The ending isn't a cliffhanger this time, but hints at lots still to come. Luckily I'll be getting the next book from my friend Beanie once he read it.

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

Teaser Tuesdays - Dragon Heart

Not captured by this just yet, but we will see how it develops.


"I'll never let you go!" he roared, and a wave of heat flared over her feet and legs. "I'll hunt you down until I find you." Her heels felt scalded. She smelled burnt hair. She could not go back now, ever.

(page 34, Dragon Heart by Cecelia Holland)




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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!

Archangel's Enigma - Book Review

Archangel's Enigma (Guild Hunter #8)
by Nalini Singh

What is it about:
Naasir is the most feral of the powerful group of vampires and angels known as the Seven, his loyalty pledged to the Archangel Raphael. When rumors surface of a plot to murder the former Archangel of Persia, now lost in the Sleep of the Ancients, Naasir is dispatched to find him. For only he possesses the tracking skills required—those more common to predatory animals than to man.

Enlisted to accompany Naasir, Andromeda, a young angelic scholar with dangerous secrets, is fascinated by his nature—at once playful and brilliant, sensual and brutal. As they race to find the Sleeping archangel before it’s too late, Naasir will force her to question all she knows...and tempt her to walk into the magnificent, feral darkness of his world. But first they must survive an enemy vicious enough to shatter the greatest taboo of the angelic race and plunge the world into a screaming nightmare...

What did I think of it:
This is a great addition to a very enjoyable series.

I already liked Naasir. He is mentioned in earlier books, and the previous book in this series has been setting Naasir up for his own book very nicely.

Andromeda is a likeable character as well, and they made a good couple. I was a bit disappointed by the romance though. From the blurb, and some mentions at the start of the book, I had expected this romance to have more bite. Instead it's almost vanilla. Not that there's anything wrong with the romance, don't get me wrong. I just prepared for a darker romance than I got.

The story is really cool. I was gripped from the start and kept reading to find out what would happen next. Even the things happening away from the main couple were suspenseful enough that they didn't slow the narrative down as they did in some of the other books.

I will confess that the things that happened make me fear that Illium won't get his own book, but that his story will be played out in the background of another couple's romance, or in a novella. Let's hope I'm wrong.

All in all this is a very nice read, and I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.

Why should you read it:
It's a very enjoyable Urban Fantasy Romance series.

How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back - Book Review

How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back (White Trash Zombie #4)
by Diana Rowland

What is it about:
It’s zombie versus zombie as the Saberton Corporation declares war against the Zombie Mafia, kidnapping several of their party. It falls to Angel to lead the remnants of her gang halfway across the country to claw their way through corporate intrigue, zombie drugs, and undead trafficking to rescue her friends—and expose the traitor responsible for their abduction...

What did I think of it:
Recently I ran into the cover of book 5 of this series, and it reminded me of the fact that this book was somewhere in my TBR pile. I decided it could be my September TBR Orphan.

And what a cool read!

I can safely say I don't think the next book (once it releases) will be in my TBR pile as long as this book has been.

Angel is really growing throughout this series and moving up on the zombie totem pole so to speak. I liked how she is having doubts about her own usefulness when in a dangerous situation, but still manages to keep a cool head and help save the day.

I also like the direction the romantic storyline is taking. I haven't been a fan of Angel's main love interest from the start, but it looks like there might be some interesting changes coming up. I can only hope.

There's plenty of action, conspiracies, and drama that kept me entertained from start to finish. There were some interesting revelations, and some really cool developments as well.

The ending I'm not so sure about I will confess. It will totally depend on what direction Rowland will take Angel next I guess, so I'll impatiently wait for book 5 to see what will happen.

Why should you read it:
It's a fun, action packed Zombie read.

On McPig's Wishlist - Visions in Silver

I really like this series, but the hardbacks are just too expensive for me. I'm impatiently waiting for the paperback.


Vision in Silver (The Others #3)
by Anne Bishop

The Others freed the cassandra sangue to protect the blood prophets from exploitation, not realizing their actions would have dire consequences. Now the fragile seers are in greater danger than ever before—both from their own weaknesses and from those who seek to control their divinations for wicked purposes. In desperate need of answers, Simon Wolfgard, a shape-shifter leader among the Others, has no choice but to enlist blood prophet Meg Corbyn’s help, regardless of the risks she faces by aiding him.

Meg is still deep in the throes of her addiction to the euphoria she feels when she cuts and speaks prophecy. She knows each slice of her blade tempts death. But Others and humans alike need answers, and her visions may be Simon’s only hope of ending the conflict.

For the shadows of war are deepening across the Atlantik, and the prejudice of a fanatic faction is threatening to bring the battle right to Meg and Simon’s doorstep...

Beastly - Book Review

Beastly
by Alex Flinn

What is it about:
I am a beast.

A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright—a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.

You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll stay this way forever—ruined—unless I can break the spell.

Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly... beastly.

What did I think of it:
You might know by now I'm a sucker for fairytale retellings and retellings of Beauty and the Beast in particular. So I had to give this book a try.

And this is an ok read.

The beast is just... too nice in my opinion. He just looks a bit beastly, but other than that he has repented, and he's nice, he's reliable. I want my beasts to have something truly beastlike. I want the conflict to be harder to resolve than the girl just seeing through his looks to the nice guy beneath. I want them both to have to work to find happiness, to overcome huge obstacles.

There were some nice scenes and additions to the story though. I especially liked the online chats Kyle has with a support group of magically changed creatures. I even started hoping Flinn had written a retelling of The Frog Prince (she kind of did, but sadly enough not with the frog in the leading role...).

All in all this is an entertaining read, but it didn't click enough for me to want to reread it in the future. I might try something else by Flinn if I'm in the mood for a nice, uncomplicated read.

Why should you read it:
It's a nice YA retelling of Beauty and the Beast.

Teaser Tuesdays - Victoria and the Rogue

I picked this up because I really like Cabot's Heather Wells series. This book however will have to improve soon if it wants to survive my 25% rule.


Victoria found herself seized by a sudden wave of guilt. Just seconds before she had been struck by an inexplicable urge to box her pretty cousin's ears.

(page 27, Victoria and the Rogue by Meg Cabot)




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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!

Banishing the Dark - Book Review

Banishing the Dark (Arcadia Bell #4)
by Jenn Bennett

What is it about:
Complicated does not begin to describe Arcadia Bell's life right now: unnatural magical power, another brush with death, and a murderous mother who's not only overbearing but determined to take permanent possession of Cady's body.

Forced to delve deep into the mystery surrounding her own birth, Cady must uncover which evil spell her parents cast during her conception…and how to reverse it. Fast.

As she and her lover Lon embark on a dangerous journey through her magical past, Lon's teenage son Jupe sneaks off for his own investigation. Each family secret they uncover is darker than the last, and Cady, who has worn many identities—Moonchild, mage, fugitive—is about to add one more to the list.

What did I think of it:
I will confess it took me some time to pick this book up, because other people seemed to be disappointed by it.

It turned out to be very nice read though.

I liked how the story changes between Cady and Jupe. Cady is in over her head and her storyline is filled with close encounters and danger. And don't get me started on what's happening between her and Lon. Jupe's storyline was more of a comic relief at times, but I like his way of thinking and his antics.

Things did seem to go a bit easy at times, but the story was cool enough that I didn't mind. What I did mind is the shaving that took place! What's with the beard and mustache shaving? After three books with a mustached hero I finally thought I'd found an author who wouldn't take out the razor, but alas...

Shaving aside I had fun with this book, which is a nice ending to this series in my opinion (although I wouldn't mind if Bennett decided to give Jupe a book/series of his own).

I can advice this series to anyone who likes fun Urban Fantasy with an original take on demons and magic.

Why should you read it:
It's a fun UF read

Four - Book Review

Four: A Divergent Story Collection (Divergent 0.1-0.4)
by Veronica Roth

What is it about:
Two years before Beatrice Prior made her choice, the sixteen-year-old son of Abnegation’s faction leader did the same. Tobias’s transfer to Dauntless is a chance to begin again. Here, he will not be called the name his parents gave him. Here, he will not let fear turn him into a cowering child.

Newly christened “Four,” he discovers during initiation that he will succeed in Dauntless. Initiation is only the beginning, though; Four must claim his place in the Dauntless hierarchy. His decisions will affect future initiates as well as uncover secrets that could threaten his own future—and the future of the entire faction system.

Two years later, Four is poised to take action, but the course is still unclear. The first new initiate who jumps into the net might change all that. With her, the way to righting their world might become clear. With her, it might become possible to be Tobias once again.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth comes a companion volume to the worldwide bestselling DIVERGENT series, told from the per-spective of the immensely popular character Tobias. The four pieces included here—THE TRANSFER, THE INITIATE, THE SON, and THE TRAITOR—plus three additional exclusive scenes, give readers an electrifying glimpse into the history and heart of Tobias, and set the stage for the epic saga of the DIVERGENT trilogy.

What did I think of it:
I preordered this book back in September 2013, before I read Allegiant. At the time I thought this book would release in April 2014, but it turned out I preordered the paperback that wouldn't release until August 2015.

If Allegiant had been a better book I would probably have cancelled my preorder and bought the hard cover of Four. Allegiant being what it was, I was done with this series for a while, so I almost forgot about this preorder.

Then earlier this year I reread Divergent, which I still really love, and I actually started to look forward to reading Four. So when it finally arrived I immediately picked it up.

And it's a really nice read.

The four stories in this book fit together and give a good view on Four and on Dauntless. I liked finding out a bit more about how Dauntless functioned, and about what made Four who he is. I discovered that even though I still really don't get the world building, I actually do like it.

Maybe that's why I was so disappointed by Allegiant. I wanted a good reason for the cool, but nonsensical, world building in Divergent and Insurgent, but was left with a reason that made no sense to me.

All in all this is an enjoyable read, and like Divergent and Insurgent it will certainly be reread. Still not so sure about Allegiant though.

Why should you read it:
It's a nice read for fans of Divergent.

Dark Secrets - coming soon

I promised you more information on the anthology Dark Secrets, which will release later this month.

Doesn't this sound like a must read!?


Dark Secrets - Anthology

Six award-winning authors bring you this spellbinding collection of stories about dark desires, mysterious worlds, and danger that lurks in the shadows of the night. Where nothing is black and white; where things might not be as they seem; where magic and mayhem rule.

MARION, MISSING by Rachel Caine

Valentine is a detective with two major problems: he's been offered a kidnapping case that will probably get him killed, and his partner won't let him turn it down. He owes her that much … since his partner's a ghost, and he's the one who killed her. A dark, haunting noir mystery of love, hate and loss.

FEMME FATALE by Cynthia Eden

PI Mick Swayne has seen it all—his clients have included liars, thieves, and even killers. He thinks he can handle anything and anyone. Then she walks into his office. Savannah Moreau is beautiful, seductive, and…a vampire? The gorgeous vamp hires Mick to help her track down a killer who is hunting in Chicago, but as Mick slips deeper into Savannah’s paranormal world, he wonders if he can really trust his new client…

DANCE WITH THE DEVIL by Megan Hart

When the devil starts the music, you'd better get ready to dance.
Kathleen Murphy has sold her soul to the devil. Fame, fortune, success...everything she's ever dreamed of is hers, and all she has to do is the devil's bidding. When love comes knocking, the last thing in the world she wants to do is involve Jake in her twisted world, but the devil's started up the jukebox and Kathleen has no choice but to learn the steps.

THE CONSORT by Suzanne Johnson

Faulkner Hearne, the captain of the ruthless Fae Hunters, finds his duty at odds with his heart when he’s ordered to capture the consort of Faerie’s cruel Prince of Summer when she flees across the veil into modern New Orleans. Can Faulk turn Liandra over to a certain death at the hands of the prince, or will he risk a war with Faerie in order to save her?

An all-new novella set in the Sentinels of New Orleans multiverse.

HEART’S BLOOD by Jeffe Kennedy, a Twelve Kingdoms novella

A dark fairytale retelling of a princess robbed of rank, husband and even her name.

Nix is nothing. The Princess Natilde—her former waiting woman—attacked her on the journey to wed Prince Cavan, stripping her of everything and taking her place. With no serving skills, Nix becomes a goose girl. Perhaps if Nix keeps her promise never to reveal who she really is, Natilde won’t carry out her vile threats. Prince Cavan entered his arranged marriage determined to have a congenial, if not loving relationship with his future queen—for the sake of both their kingdoms. But, his wife repels him more each day and he finds himself absurdly drawn to the lovely Nix.

With broken vows, anguish and dark secrets between them, Cavan and Nix struggle to find the magic to restore what’s gone terribly wrong... if it ever can be.

THE DJINN IN THE MIRROR by Mina Khan, a Djinn World novella

A paranormal Cinderella story with a young witch as the heroine and a wicked, sexy djinn instead of a fairy godmother.
Dahlia, the step-daughter of a power hungry wizard, promises to free a djinn trapped in a mirror if he rescues her from impending death. But Ashmael the djinn has his own agenda: to trick & seduce his way to freedom. The only problem is he ends up falling for Dahlia. Can he win his freedom and save the girl?




Preorder Links:
Kobo - Amazon - Google play - All Romance ebooks

Ink and Bone - Book Review

Ink and Bone (The Great Library #1)
by Rachel Caine

What is it about:
In an exhilarating new series, New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine rewrites history, creating a dangerous world where the Great Library of Alexandria has survived the test of time...

Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly—but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden.

Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family, who are involved in the thriving black market. Jess has been sent to be his family’s spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library’s service.

When he inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe that knowledge is more valuable than any human life—and soon both heretics and books will burn...

What did I think of it:
How could I resist a book about the Great Library of Alexandria!?

And this story is so good!

The setting is Steampunkish, which really fit the story. I was drawn in to both the story and the world from the start.

And it's a dark and grim world! The Great Library controls the flow of knowledge, making sure that ideas and ideologies that don't fit into their plans won't be shared. The censure they enforce and the control they have over the world was a frightening thing. Caine succeeded in making it feel very real in my opinion.

Jess is a great lead character. He has his shady side, and is a bit selfish from time to time, but that makes the moments when he has to decide between right and wrong all the more interesting to read about.

There were some very interesting other characters as well. The training Jess and the others have to follow is based on the fact that you have to prove yourself worthy or you will be send packing. This created some tension and rivalry among the students and had me rooting for my favorite characters.

The mood that already was a bit dark at the start of the story became increasingly darker, and I had to keep reading to discover what would happen next. The ending resolved some things, but left more than enough open to make me eager for the next book. You can bet I'll be keeping an eye out to get hold of it as soon as it releases.

Why should you read it:
It's a really intense and beautiful YA read.

Teaser Tuesdays - How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back

Philip gurgled and twitched, and I held my back against his. "You're gonna be okay," I said, as much to reassure myself as him.

(page 37, How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back by Diana Rowland)




===

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!