Friday 31 July 2015

TBR Orphans Challenge - July Update


Another month in which I've mostly neglected my reading and have been playing Dragon Age.

I still managed to read two Orphans, which I'll be reviewing soon.

Savage Drift by Emmy Laybourne
Halfway to the Grave Jeaniene Frost

Both books have been on my shelves since May 2014.


How did your challenges go?


Thursday 30 July 2015

An Interview with K.A. Krantz - Author of Larcout

As you might have noticed: I loved Larcout, the first book in the Fire Born, Blood Blessed series. So I did an interview with K.A. Krantz (aka KAK) to find out more about her and her books.



Welcome to Pearls Cast Before a McPig.
Could you tell a bit about yourself for those people who don’t know you yet?

KAK: I am a three-toed sloth. No? Fine. In truth, I do have five toes per hairy foot. The rest of the description is absolutely true.

What can you tell us about your books?
KAK: The Fire Born, Blood Blessed series begins in LARCOUT, a desert nation rife with political intrigue, the rumblings of civil war, and a long festering fear of the noble family Le Sri.

When the foreign-born daughter of the most reviled le Sri suddenly appears in Court as an acolyte to the ruling Lar, those who accused the family of treason scramble to stop the strange woman’s investigations into the national tragedy that led to her mother’s banishment.

They call her the Killer of the Kastra.
Vadrigyn os Harlo has eyes that see the dead. Strength to turn bones into powder. Fangs to rend her enemies asunder. Fire in her veins. Venom in her touch... And the magic to manipulate the minds of the masses.

She will be the salvation or the demise of the nation. Their future is her choice.

Have you ever used people you know as characters in your books?
KAK: I don’t. Perhaps it’s better said that I don’t do it consciously. I may use mannerisms, gestures, tics, or tells of someone I know, but I don’t intentionally construct fictional characters from real-life characters.

Where can you be found when you’re not at your desk writing?
KAK: I rarely write at a desk. I tend to play Goldilocks and All the Chairs when I write. As for where I am when I’m not auditioning chairs, I’m usually painting…something. Walls mostly, though, my clothes and hair far too often.

What did you do to celebrate the release of your first book?
KAK: I had a 5-Way. Seriously. In Cincinnati, we have our own style of chili—a thin meat sauce with the usual spices, except we include cinnamon and chocolate. It’s typically served between a bed of spaghetti noodles and a foot of shredded cheddar. That’s a 3-Way. Add onions and beans, and you have a 5-Way...and unkissable breath. It’s totally worth it.

What authors have been an influence to you?
KAK: My first and best love as a reader is historical fiction. Morgan Llywelyn, Nigel Tranter, and Bernard Cornwell. These authors snared me when I was young and are so prolific that I still have many of their books to read and re-read (even Tranter who passed away years ago). I love the notion of taking a nugget of fact and spinning an elaborate and compelling lie around it.

And have you read any books lately that you want to share with us or have you been too busy with writing to read?
KAK: I’m indulging in The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm: The Complete First Edition. The stories in the First Edition are the closest to the original oral tales, before Wilhelm extensively edited them for religious themes and narrative flow. In the US, we’re most familiar with stories from the Seventh Edition. It’s sort of like reading a Critique Partner’s final draft before it’s sent off to NYC publishers.

Are there zombies or pigs in any of your books or will there be any in future books?
KAK: Vadrigyn develops an alliance with a monster-hunting, shape-shifting boar in the next book, NIVURN (Spring 2016). The plethora of hyphens aside, Odosus finds that being Vadrigyn’s friend challenges personal definitions of faith, value, and glory.

As for Zombies (or bazombies as my wee nieces insist on calling them), Book Four in the Fire Born, Blood Blessed series takes place in Kethor, where the indigenous people don’t let the dead rest. That’s coming in early 2017.

Thank you for letting me stop by, Sullivan. It’s been a pleasure!

Thanks for dropping by, and for the exciting glimpse of the upcoming books. I'll be getting my trotters on NIVURN for sure!

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


Larcout (Fire Born, Blood Blessed Book 1)
by K.A. Krantz


Blood-beings can be chattel or char.

Fire seethes through the veins of every Morsam, demanding domination and destruction. Combat is a hobby. Slaughtering the inferior blood-beings is entertainment. Life is a repetitious cycle in the prison fashioned by the gods. But mix-race abomination Vadrigyn os Harlo suspects the key to freedom lies with safeguarding the blood-beings; until her blood-born mother uses foreign magic to turn the Morsam against Vadrigyn. Betrayed, bound, and broken, Vadrigyn struggles against the dying of her essential fire. Yet the ebbing flames unleash the dormant magic of her mixed heritage…

The magic to destroy free will.

Seized by the gods and dumped in the desert nation of Larcout to stop history from repeating, Vadrigyn discovers her mother’s legacy of treason and slaughter still festers. To survive the intrigues of the royal court, the roiling undercurrents of civil war, and the gods themselves, Vadrigyn must unravel the conspiracy behind her mother’s banishment. But manipulating free will unleashes a torrent of consequences.

If she fails the gods, she will return to the Morsam prison, stripped of all magic and all hope.

If she succeeds, she can rule a nation.

Kasthu. Roborgu. Inarchma.
Live. Learn. Burn.


buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery

Find Buy Links to the ebook here

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


About K.A. Krantz:

Blessed with a childhood rife with ogres, dragons, and castles, K.A. Krantz revels in fantasies dark and epic. To her great horror, reality occasionally insists on domination. Attempts at a business degree sent her fleeing into the catharsis of a B.A. in Writing; however, aspirations for a steady income and an emerging shoe fetish turned her into a dot-com masochist, during which time a Master’s degree in International Commerce & Policy proved useful. However, the lure of creating alternate worlds proved irresistible, so she bid fond farewell to the online communities she had nurtured via chat rooms, message boards, and dating services.

These days, K.A. Krantz splits her time between Cincinnati and the DC 'burbs with her ever faithful hairy beast. When the voices of characters impatient for her undivided attention are temporary silent, she indulges in a shoe obsession, conducts a love/hate affair with paint brushes, and pretends she has enough upper body strength to wield power tools.

K.A. Krantz writes high fantasy, urban fantasy, and fantasy romance.


Wednesday 29 July 2015

Cover Reveal - The Island


The Island
by Clarissa Johal


“Exploring a remote island can sometimes get you into trouble.

Especially when you stumble upon a cave and awaken two demons.


Emma Keller’s estranged grandmother has been missing for seven years. Emma journeys to her grandmother’s private island with the task of readying it for sale. Local rumors say it’s cursed, but she dismisses them as superstition. While there, she unearths a hidden cave, and is visited by two men soon after. Itu is well-spoken, though he hides his face in shadow. The other is more of a worry; with skin of alabaster, Thim’s feral presence sets her on edge. Emma discovers the island has a dark past. The two men aren’t human, but awakened demons…and they have their sights set on her.”


Amazon Pre-Order:
http://amzn.com/B010TE7W1G

Barnes & Nobel Pre Order:
http://tinyurl.com/npkgfq4


Tuesday 28 July 2015

Teaser Tuesdays - School of Fear


"Once you send that letter, he'll be watching you... everywhere you go, everything you buy, anyone you call, he'll know, he knows everything," Dr. Franklin said ominously.

(page 63, School of Fear by Gitty Daneshvari)


buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery

===

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!

Monday 27 July 2015

Under a Graveyard Sky - DNF Book Review


Under a Graveyard Sky (Black Tide Rising #1)
by John Ringo


What is it about:
A family of survivors who fight back against a zombie plague that has brought down civilization.Zombies are real. And we made them. Are you prepared for the zombie apocalypse? The Smith family is, with the help of a few marines.

When an airborne “zombie” plague is released, bringing civilization to a grinding halt, the Smith family, Steven, Stacey, Sophia and Faith, take to the Atlantic to avoid the chaos. The plan is to find a safe haven from the anarchy of infected humanity. What they discover, instead, is a sea composed of the tears of survivors and a passion for bringing hope.

For it is up to the Smiths and a small band of Marines to somehow create the refuge that survivors seek in a world of darkness and terror. Now with every continent a holocaust and every ship an abattoir, life is lived beneath a graveyard sky.


What did I think of it, and why didn't I finish it:
This book starts out really cool.

Steven and his brother are a sort of Doomsday preppers, so when the first news about an airborne zombie-virus hits, Steven and his family bug out and get to safety.

There's also accounts about how other people fare against this new plague, and how people are trying to find a cure. So far so good. i was really enjoying myself.

Then the two daughters, Sophia and Faith are called in to help out at the lab. I must say my first grumble began here. I found it hard to believe that a 16 year old girl really was best person to help out with looking for the cure. And taking her younger sister along, who had no skills to help out whatsoever didn't make sense as well.

Of course Faith, the younger sister, gets herself in trouble. I grumbled a bit about that, but decided that Faith being a young teen, it fit her age and character.

Then their parents turn up, and the whole family went to an illegal concert. Of course zombies turned up, lured by the lights and sounds of the concert...

What?

Here I gave up on the book.

I just couldn't believe that the same family who was so smart to bug out when the shit hit the fan, would actually go to the most unsafe place to be during an airborne outbreak of a zombie-plague. I just didn't care for any of them anymore.

I'm guessing Ringo wanted to add some zombie action, but I wish it was done in another way than this, because I was enjoying the book up until that point.

Maybe I'll give one of Ringo's other books a try sometime, but I'm done with the Smith family.

Why should you read it:
If you don't mind illogical behavior, you might find this a cool read.


buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery

Friday 24 July 2015

Partials - Book Review


Partials (Partials Sequence #1)
by Dan Wells


What is it about:
Humanity is all but extinguished after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island.

But sixteen-year-old Kira is determined to find a solution. As she tries desperately to save what is left of her race, she discovers that that the survival of both humans and Partials rests in her attempts to answer questions about the war's origin that she never knew to ask.


What did I think of it:
I picked this book up expecting it to be an entertaining read, but nothing special.

To my surprise this book turned to be a really engaging and gripping read.

Yes: there were some elements that keep popping up in most Dystopian YA's. Yes: one of the plot twist was visible from miles and miles away. Still I was hooked and didn't mind. The world building in this book is really cool, and the story suspenseful.

After being decimated by the Partials, humanity is slowly dying out, because all newborns die from the virus that is still present. The ways the leaders of Long Island deal with this is both disturbing and believable, although it surprised me that not more people stood up against their leaders.

I liked Kira and some of her friends. I loved how they supported each other, and stuck together (mostly). I didn't like Kira's boyfriend I must say. Even before he did some jerky things (imo), I just couldn't find anything in him to like. There seems to be a set up for a possible love triangle though, so I'm hoping for a change in boyfriend.

The ending of this book is satisfying, but also leaves enough things open to make me want to get my trotters on the next book soon to see what will happen next.

Overall this is a really great Dystopian YA read, that I will certainly keep for rereading. I'm also checking out what other books/series Wells has written.

Why should you read it:
It's an engaging Dystopian YA read.


buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery

Thursday 23 July 2015

The Talon of the Hawk - Giveaway


I have an extra copy of The Talon of the Hawk and some swag to give away!

Read more about The Talon of The Hawk below.

As for the rules:
- Open internationally to anyone who's old enough to read Adult Fantasy Romance and is legally allowed to enter.
- Fill in the rafflecopter below to enter

a Rafflecopter giveaway


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


The Talon of the Hawk (The Twelve Kingdoms #3)
by Jeffe Kennedy


A HEAVY CROWN

Three daughters were born to High King Uorsin, in place of the son he wanted. The youngest, lovely and sweet. The middle, pretty and subtle, with an air of magic. And the eldest, the Heir. A girl grudgingly honed to leadership, not beauty, to bear the sword and honor of the king.

Ursula’s loyalty is as ingrained as her straight warrior’s spine. She protects the peace of the Twelve Kingdoms with sweat and blood, her sisters from threats far and near. And she protects her father to prove her worth. But she never imagined her loyalty would become an open question on palace grounds. That her father would receive her with a foreign witch at one side and a hireling captain at the other—that soldiers would look on her as a woman, not as a warrior. She also never expected to decide the destiny of her sisters, of her people, of the Twelve Kingdoms and the Thirteenth. Not with her father still on the throne and war in the air. But the choice is before her. And the Heir must lead...



buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery

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


About Jeffe Kennedy:

Jeffe Kennedy is an award-winning author whose works include non-fiction, poetry, short fiction, and novels. She has been a Ucross Foundation Fellow, received the Wyoming Arts Council Fellowship for Poetry, and was awarded a Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Award. Her essays have appeared in many publications, including Redbook.

Her most recent works include a number of fiction series: the fantasy romance novels of A Covenant of Thorns; the contemporary BDSM novellas of the Facets of Passion, and an erotic contemporary serial novel, Master of the Opera. A fourth series, the fantasy trilogy The Twelve Kingdoms, hit the shelves starting in May 2014 and book 1, The Mark of the Tala, received a starred Library Journal review and has been nominated for the RT Book of the Year while the sequel, The Tears of the Rose, has been nominated for best fantasy romance of the year. A fifth series, the highly anticipated erotic romance trilogy, Falling Under, released starting with Going Under, followed by Under His Touch and Under Contract.
She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with two Maine coon cats, plentiful free-range lizards and a very handsome Doctor of Oriental Medicine.

Jeffe can be found online at her website: JeffeKennedy.com, every Sunday at the popular Word Whores blog, on Facebook, and pretty much constantly on Twitter @jeffekennedy. She is represented by Connor Goldsmith of Fuse Literary.

http://jeffekennedy.com

https://www.facebook.com/Author.Jeffe.Kennedy

https://twitter.com/jeffekennedy

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1014374.Jeffe_Kennedy

Wednesday 22 July 2015

Larcout - Book Review


Larcout (Fire Born, Blood Blessed Book 1)
by K.A. Krantz


What is it about:
Blood-beings can be chattel or char.

Fire seethes through the veins of every Morsam, demanding domination and destruction. Combat is a hobby. Slaughtering the inferior blood-beings is entertainment. Life is a repetitious cycle in the prison fashioned by the gods. But mix-race abomination Vadrigyn os Harlo suspects the key to freedom lies with safeguarding the blood-beings; until her blood-born mother uses foreign magic to turn the Morsam against Vadrigyn. Betrayed, bound, and broken, Vadrigyn struggles against the dying of her essential fire. Yet the ebbing flames unleash the dormant magic of her mixed heritage…

The magic to destroy free will.

Seized by the gods and dumped in the desert nation of Larcout to stop history from repeating, Vadrigyn discovers her mother’s legacy of treason and slaughter still festers. To survive the intrigues of the royal court, the roiling undercurrents of civil war, and the gods themselves, Vadrigyn must unravel the conspiracy behind her mother’s banishment. But manipulating free will unleashes a torrent of consequences.

If she fails the gods, she will return to the Morsam prison, stripped of all magic and all hope.

If she succeeds, she can rule a nation.

Kasthu. Roborgu. Inarchma.
Live. Learn. Burn.


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

Vadrigyn is an unusual, but great heroine. She's without guile and used to using her strength and the poisonous parasites that live in her body to survive. But then she is taken from the kill or be killed world she grew up in and lands in a world where intrigue and deceit are the weapons of choice. She has to learn how to find her place in this world to keep alive.

I love the world building in this book. The different Gods and races are really interesting and intriguing. This book focuses most on the Larcoutians and the Morsam, but the glimpses that were given of the other races were really cool as well. I hope there will be more of them in the next book.

The magic that is used by the Larcoutians and how their society deals with that magic is well worked out and believable. Their society is a scary and brutal one beneath the civilized surface in my opinion. I enjoyed how you slowly find out more and more about Larcout.

The story is complex and the secrets Vadrigyn is trying to uncover are dangerous. I was hooked from the start and kept trying to figure out what was going on and who was to trust. There were some really likeable characters, and some that I loathed. At times I was really nervous about the safety of my favorite characters.

The names that are used aren't common names and took some getting used to, but they were all different enough that I didn't have to track back to figure out who's who, like sometimes happens when an author uses names that sound too much alike.

All in all this is a really great Fantasy read, filled with conspiracies and cool action. I'm looking forward to reading the next book, to see what happens next for Vadrigyn.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool and very enjoyable Fantasy read.


buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery

Find Buy Links to the ebook here

Tuesday 21 July 2015

Teaser Tuesdays - Under a Graveyard Sky


Faith suddenly found herself wrestling a zombie completely alone in the corridor.
"Thanks for all the help and support!" she screamed.

(page 154, Under a Graveyard Sky by John Ringo)


buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery

===

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!

Friday 17 July 2015

Under His Touch - Book review by Voodoo Bride (repost)

To celebrate the release of Under Contract earlier this week, today a repost of the review of Under His Touch, book two in the Falling Under series.


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

Wednesday 15 July 2015

Going Under - Book Review by Voodoo Bride (repost)

To celebrate the release of Under Contract earlier this week, a repost of Voodoo Bride's review of Going Under, the first book in the Falling Under series.


Going Under (Falling Under #1)
by Jeffe Kennedy


What is it about:
Knowing all too well the damage online trolls can inflict, game designer Emily Bartwell takes privacy seriously. Living in solitude and working remotely under a male alias gives her a sense of security. The sexy writer renting the house next door ignites desires she’d forgotten she had, and when he invites her to play games of a very different sort, Em is ready and willing. Even if it means breaking all her own rules to abide by his.

Undercover tech reporter Fox Mullins is so close to the biggest scoop of his career: finding the elusive programmer Phoenix. An increasingly erotic adventure with his reserved but passionate new neighbor is the ideal way to heat up the chilly Pacific Northwest nights as he tracks the brilliant gamer.

At first Fox is happy to help Em explore her newly awakened kinky side, no holds barred, no strings attached. But as they push the limits of intimacy, both physical and emotional, Fox discovers he’s not the only one keeping secrets. And revealing hers may mean betraying the one woman who embodies everything he desires.


What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
This is a delicious read.

Being a female gamer myself lots of the things in this story were recognizable, although luckily I've never encountered the kind of trolls Emily encountered. The references to online games, and other geek culture things (Cthulhu lamp!) made me smile and feel like I wanted to be friends with Emily. I liked her from the start and wanted her to be happy.

And then there's Fox. Yum!

I loved the interaction between Emily and Fox. Emily is wary at first, but when she decides to indulge herself, things get steamy and deliciously kinky. Jeffe Kennedy is a master at writing empowering BDSM stories, showing that submitting isn't a weakness, but instead can be about strength. Going Under is no different in that than her other stories, and it's why I love reading Jeffe's work.

The secrets between Emily and Fox do lead to some tense situations, and I will confess I was concerned about the outcome. But Jeffe doesn't disappoint there either and I was very satisfied with the ending.

All in all this is another winner, and I'm already looking forward to Jeffe's next book.

Why should you read it:
It's a steaming hot BDSM read.


Buy from Carina Press



Tuesday 14 July 2015

Teaser Tuesdays - Under Contract

To celebrate the release of Under Contract yesterday, a small teaser


“I can’t believe we’re discussing this. I’m thinking now that you might be very warped.”
He laughed, delighted with her. “Fun, isn’t it?”

(Under Contract by Jeffe Kennedy)

Buy from:
Amazon - B&N - Kobo

===

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!

Monday 13 July 2015

Under Contract - Release Day Book Review by Voodoo Bride


Under Contract (Falling Under #3)
by Jeffe Kennedy


What is it about:
Ryan Black has admired Celestina Sala from afar for years, her lush body and sensual nature calling to the dominant in him. For just as many years, Celestina was off-limits—married, proud and self-sufficient. But all that has changed, and now Celestina is in debt and in need…and available. Ryan proposes a contract: he'll pay off her debt if she gives herself to him in bed, yielding control in exchange for the pain and pleasure he'll bring them both.

There are words for women who take money for sex, and none of them are nice ones. Celestina never thought she'd have to sink this low, but giving up control sounds more enticing than ever before. And suddenly it's not about having to give in to Ryan. It's about wanting to.

But when Ryan's dark past comes to light, they may both be in over their heads. The terms of his contract say her body is his…but her heart may be another story.

One thing is for sure—now that Ryan has Celestina, he can never let her go.


What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
I should read more BDSM romance, because I really love the good ones that I read, but it's tricky. So often there's suddenly a menage, or other complications I do not want in my romance.

So every time Jeffe Kennedy has a new BDSM book out I rejoice, because her books have never disappointed me, or taken me into (for me) shady territory.

Under Contract is yet another wonderful BDSM romance that stole my heart.

Some readers might be uncomfortable at first about the deal Ryan and Celestina make, but I really liked how it was handled, and loved the edge it gave the romance.

Celestina is a wonderful heroine. She is in a difficult situation, but never does she become a victim. She has hidden strength. I also loved Ryan: both sophisticated and rough-edged, a delightful mix.

I will say that I was a bit apprehensive when I learned that Celestina takes care of her two nieces (children in romances can be really off-putting imo), but this part of the story was also really well done. The nieces were annoying and selfish at times, but never to a point where I wanted them gone. They added to the story in a believable way.

The romance is hot, intense, and with some delicious BDSM scenes. I was totally drawn into the story and couldn't put the book down until I finished it.

I will most certainly reread this whole series, and will be hoping Jeffe writes lots more BDSM romances.

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


Buy from:
Amazon - B&N - Kobo

Friday 10 July 2015

Boy Proof - Book Review (repost)

After posting my review of Beige, I decided my review of Boy Proof earned a repost. So far this is my favorite book by Cecil Castellucci.


Boy Proof
by Cecil Castellucci


What is it about:
What happens when an antisocial cinephile meets up with the worldly new guy at school — a quick-witted artist who's savvy enough to see through her sci-fi disguise?

Meet Egg. Her real name is Victoria Jurgen, but she's renamed herself after the kick-ass heroine of her favorite sci-fi movie, Terminal Earth. Like her namesake, Egg dresses all in white, colors her eyebrows, and shaves her head. She always knows the right answers, she's always in control, and she's far too busy — taking photos for the school paper, meeting with the Science Fiction and Fantasy Club, and hanging out at the creature shop with her dad, the special-effects makeup wizard — to be bothered with friends, much less members of the opposite sex. As far as Egg is concerned, she's boy proof, and she likes it that way.

But then Egg meets a boy named Max, a boy who's smart and funny and creative and cool...and happens to like Egg. Could this be the end of the world — at least as Egg knows it?


What did I think of it:
I picked this book up after reading Castellucci's Tin Star, because I was curious if her other books were just as good.

This book is even better in my opinion!

I devoured this book in one sitting. I just couldn't stop reading.

This is such a recognizable story. Egg is a bit of an outcast. She doesn't know how to fit in, and therefor has decided to close herself off from those around her. She's a bit of a know-it-all at times, but otherwise I could totally relate with her.

When Egg meets Max, she's so used to hiding inside the armor she built around herself that she doesn't know how to connect. All she knows how to do is push people away to keep from being hurt.

It was heartbreaking to see how Egg tries to find her place in the world, and tries to connect with the people around her. Being a nerd myself, and having dealt with lots of the same issues as Egg when in school, this story resonated with me, and I will confess there were a couple of scenes that made me cry.

All in all this is a beautiful story about being yourself, and figuring out where you belong. It reminded me at times of Tall, Thin and Blonde by Dyan Sheldon, a book that deals with the same kind of issues, and which I also love. I will most certainly reread this book, and I will check out more books by Castellucci as well.

Why should you read it:
It's a beautiful, touching Young Adult read.


buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery

Thursday 9 July 2015

On McPig's Wishlist - The Year of the Beasts


The Year of the Beasts
by Cecil Castellucci, with illustrations by Nate Powell


Every summer the trucks roll in, bringing the carnival and its infinite possibilities to town. This year Tessa and her younger sister Lulu are un-chaperoned and want to be first in line to experience the rides, the food... and the boys. Except this summer, jealousy will invade their relationship for the first time, setting in motion a course of events that can only end in tragedy, putting everyone's love and friendship to the test.

Alternating chapters of prose and comics are interwoven in this extraordinary novel that will break your heart and crack it wide open at the same time.



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Wednesday 8 July 2015

Beige - Book Review


Beige
by Cecil Castellucci


What is it about:
Dad’s an aging L.A. punk rocker known as the Rat. Daughter’s a buttoned-up neat freak who’d rather be anywhere else. Can this summer be saved?

Now that she’s exiled from Canada to sunny Los Angeles, Katy figures she’ll bury her nose in a book and ignore the fact that she’s spending two weeks with her father — punk name: the Rat — a recovered addict and drummer for the famously infamous band Suck. Even though Katy doesn’t want to be there, even though she feels abandoned by her mom, even though the Rat’s place is a mess and he’s not like anything she’d call a father, Katy won’t make a fuss. After all, she is a nice girl, a girl who is quiet and polite, a girl who smiles, a girl who is, well, beige. Or is she?


What did I think of it:
I have yet to read a book by Castellucci that I do not love.

This is yet another great read.

I will confess that although I liked Katy, I didn't completely understand her. I mean: yes, I could understand her desire to be the nice girl, to not be noticed, to be left alone. I think that every introvert (teenager) will recognize these feelings in some way (I just never succeeded to be Beige, I was too weird for that it seemed). But how can anyone not like music!? It was her total indifference to music that baffled me. Music has always been a part of my life and helped shape my identity.

Luckily her indifference to music is part of the story line and gets more nuanced later on in the book. As with Boy Proof and The Queen of Cool this book is about finding your own voice and your place in the world. Although I feel most connected with Egg from Boy Proof, there were lots of things in Katy's story that I recognized as well. The story is touching and powerful.

I must say that I had wanted the book to end differently than it did, but that aside this is a wonderful read, that will take its place on my keeper shelves. I will also try to get my trotters on those books by Castellucci that I haven't read yet.

Why should you read it:
It's a really powerful YA read about finding your own voice.


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Tuesday 7 July 2015

Under Contract - Spotlight and Excerpt


Under Contract by Jeffe Kennedy is releasing next week.
Read Chapter One here and then go pre-order, because this is yet another winner!


Under Contract
(Book 3 in the Falling Under series)


The kinkier the sex, the higher the price tag...

Ryan Black has admired Celestina Sala from afar for years, her lush body and sensual nature calling to the dominant in him. For just as many years, Celestina was off-limits—married, proud and self-sufficient. But all that has changed, and now Celestina is in debt and in need…and available. Ryan proposes a contract: he'll pay off her debt if she gives herself to him in bed, yielding control in exchange for the pain and pleasure he'll bring them both. 

There are words for women who take money for sex, and none of them are nice ones. Celestina never thought she'd have to sink this low, but giving up control sounds more enticing than ever before. And suddenly it's not about having to give in to Ryan. It's about wanting to. 

But when Ryan's dark past comes to light, they may both be in over their heads. The terms of his contract say her body is his…but her heart may be another story.

One thing is for sure—now that Ryan has Celestina, he can never let her go. 


Available from Carina Press on July 13, 2015

Buy from:
Amazon - B&N - Kobo

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Excerpt:
“I’m sorry to tell you, Tina, but this is it.” Linda’s gaze skittered away.
Another ending. Not the worst blow, but the one that might finally drop her into the abyss. Tina tensed. She’d be panicking if she didn’t feel so numb.
“It’s obviously bad for all of us.” Linda put her cold Diet Coke against her forehead. “Losing this account is the final straw. I can eke out a few weeks’ severance for you, but not anything more. If I waited another week, I couldn’t get that much past the forensic accountants. I’m really sorry.”
“I could stay and keep working. Maybe—”
“You know I’d tell you if I thought there was a chance.” Linda set the Coke down without drinking. “We’re tanked. It’s just not common knowledge. I’m letting you and a few other people go now so you can at least start looking for other jobs. With your particular niche, I know it might take a while.”
Another understatement. Tina had chosen landscape design as a profession—and specialized in water-focused features—with all the idealism of the naïve. Back then she’d believed in studying what you loved. Follow your passion and the money will follow. That’s what all her guidance counselors said. What her parents, God rest their souls, had affectionately encouraged her to do. The perfect complement to Arabella’s degrees in civil engineering. They’d had such dreams, she and her twin sister, of working together, always in tandem.
So many endings.
“I’m really sorry,” Linda repeated. “I feel like I failed you. You know you have a tremendous reputation and I wrote you the most amazing reference letter I could dream up. It’s not enough, but…”
“It is what it is.” Nothing like having that tremendous reputation in a niche specialty like water design in a freaking desert during the worst drought in recorded history. The land had dried up, year by year, echoed by the devastation in Tina’s life.
“I know you’re like a third-generation Los Angeleno, but maybe you should consider moving? Take the girls, make a fresh start.”
Tina gave Linda a reassuring smile, at least the best one she could muster. Her boss had tried her best. She took the envelope Linda handed her. Three weeks’ severance wouldn’t last more than a few days against the mountain of debt threatening to crush her in a landslide of unopened bills and haranguing voice mails from creditors. “We might have to do that. Guess I’d better go start the job search.”
She knew there was nothing to find in the city, for sure. She’d been killing herself, tagging past clients, trying to drum up new business. The slow collapse of Delaney Landscape Design had followed the crash of the California construction industry, drawing ever closer to the edge, then falling into that ever-expanding crater. No one had thought the downturn would last so long, but with every year the firm had lost money and clients. Even with new xeriscaping jobs, they hadn’t held steady. No sense keeping their star water feature artist in the face of a city ban against fountains.
Now the ground had crumbled beneath her feet and, like a disaster-movie heroine who’d been too stupid to run, she was clinging to the edge of the abyss, screaming. Except no hero would suddenly appear to haul her to safety.
“You know what they say.” Linda produced a weak smile. “When a door closes, a window opens.”
So you could throw yourself out of it. A slow burn of anger began to penetrate the numbness.
It must have showed on her face because Linda’s smile faded. “Take the rest of the day off,” she suggested. “Carly and Josie don’t get home until after four, right?”
“Later today, with dance team after school. And then Carly has some science club meeting.”
“Take some time then.” Linda pulled two twenties out of her billfold. “Buy yourself lunch in some little place overlooking the ocean and rest your brain.”
“I don’t want your money.” Beneath the numbness, her pride stirred. She had that much still.
Her boss blinked rapidly and pressed her lips together. “I have Bill’s salary to fall back on. Let me do this for you. When was the last time you did something nice, just for you?”
She knew the exact date. Twice now she, Carly and Josie had taken sick days to light candles at the cathedral and toss the ashes of letters into the surf to commemorate the day that changed all their lives. How would she support them now? They had no idea how bad things were—Tina had managed to shelter them from that fear, at least—but there would be no hiding this. So she took the forty dollars, for her nieces. Not to squander on lunch, but to buy groceries.
Linda knew they had it bad. But she had no idea how bad. Even Tina didn’t really know, because she couldn’t bear to look.
“Thank you for everything. You know I loved this job.” Tina stood and Linda did likewise, coming around the desk to hug her.
“We loved having you here. You know how many projects came in because of your gift for fountains. I’ll be expecting a deluge of phone calls checking your references. And anything you need—just ask.”
“I will.” Tina choked the words out, acutely aware of the lie in them. She wouldn’t be asking for help because there was none to be had. When people offered that, they meant well, but they didn’t expect the kind of price tag hanging over her head. Tina had stopped keeping track of anything but the general number, so overwhelmingly huge it overshadowed everything else.
Only money—huge amounts of money—would help at this point. And, like the rain that vanished before it ever hit the ground, money didn’t fall from the sky.
Blindly, unable to muster motivation for anything, she cleared her desk, stowed her things in her crappy car and started walking down Figueroa. Rush hour had subsided in the Financial District, with everyone busily tucked into their offices, but traffic never stopped in LA. So many busy people with places to be. Maybe something would occur to her, some way out of the crater of debt and desert of unrelenting grief. Not for the first time, she vaguely contemplated suicide. Not the deliberate kind, but the sort where she might just trip and fall in front of a bus. Except that would solve only her own despair and leave her nieces even worse off without her.
Stopping at the Salmon Run sculpture by the Manulife Plaza, she let the fluid lines soothe her soul. The artist, Christopher Keene, had crafted the bronze to look like water. The scent, the sweet life-giving essence of it, almost wafted up from the sunbaked metal. The mother bear and her twin cubs feasting on the bounty of salmon. Both ferociously powerful and joyful, it reminded her of Ara, and how fiercely she’d loved and protected her precious daughters.
Tina couldn’t fail to do less than that.


Ryan checked his phone, noted he had plenty of time before his next meeting, and indulged in an extended appraisal of the woman studying the bear sculpture. Though the heels were low enough to qualify as dowdy, excellent legs rose up to a deliciously formed ass. She’d look amazing in stilettos. Perhaps four-, even five-inch heels with some training.
As he drew nearer, he caught the edge of her profile and recognized Celestina Sala with a start of surprise and an increased surge of lust. Odd to see her here and now, after all these years. He might not have recognized her out of context, if he hadn’t spent so much time surreptitiously studying her lush figure. She’d designed the garden pools at his offices three—no, four—years before, and she’d been married and therefore off-limits, even for someone of his questionable mores.
Hell, who was he kidding? Morals had nothing to do with it. He hated complications and she had never seemed like the type to cheerfully commit adultery. That had stopped him from suggesting anything, but not from enjoying her easy sensuality, the swing of her hips that made him think of salsa dancing, tequila, hot nights and hotter sex.
Or from the occasional fantasy of dragging her across the conference table, baring those mouthwatering breasts and taking her with brutal savagery while their colleagues watched in titillated horror.
He knew how to behave in polite society, how to cover his baser nature with the gloss he’d developed as painstakingly as his identity, and he’d made sure she never suspected his interest. They’d kept things strictly professional and he hadn’t laid eyes on her since the project ended. Barring the occasional starring role in his sexual fantasies.
She looked different. She’d cut her hair short—a pity, as he’d entertained himself with visions of releasing the gleaming black coil of it, seeing her naked framed by the glorious waves, of winding his fist in it to hold her still while he watched her suck him off. Now he’d never see that and he was not a man who graciously gave up what he wanted. Still…what if serendipity had handed him a new opportunity to make some of it come true? With her left side to him, hand wrapped around the strap of her bag, the telltale gold gleam of her wedding band should have been visible in the bright sunshine. Had fate put her back in his path, this time as a free woman?
Gifts from the universe such as this should never be taken lightly. People made their own luck. He’d made up for poor beginnings in life by courting serendipity as his favorite mistress, fickle though she might be. No one had ever accused him of bypassing an opportunity. It knocked, he answered—and dragged it inside before it could escape. If the lovely Celestina happened to be available, he owed it to himself—and to fate—to do his utmost to capture her as well.
All right then. If she was free, he’d talk her into lunch. And then into bed.
The decision firm in his mind, he tucked his smartphone into the inside pocket of his suit jacket and eased up beside her.
“Celestina Sala?” he purred, going for charming and sensual, beginning the seduction immediately. Women responded well to sound.
Celestina, however, nearly jumped out of her skin, shoulders spiking to her ears in a reflexive flinch. She spun, eyes hidden behind her sunglasses but dismay clear in her body language.
“Remember me—Ryan Black? I’m sorry I startled you.”
She relaxed, though not by much. Rather, she took on the studied demeanor of a woman who recognized a valued business client and pulled herself together. Assuming that careful poise she’d always carried, that regal bearing that begged to be stripped away. Giving him a smile, polite, not the warm, unconsciously sensual one he recalled, she held out a slim hand. “Mr. Black, of course! Forgive me—I was deep in thought. How has the pool series worked out for you?”
They hadn’t been happy thoughts, by the look of her. She’d changed more than her hair. She looked tired and tense. The shorter length could work for her, framing her high cheekbones and emphasizing the fullness of her lips, but the cut hadn’t been high quality and now looked a bit unkempt, grown out too far. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as she spoke, a nervous gesture that revealed she no longer had the perfectly glossy manicure she’d always kept in the past but, more important than any of it—that she indeed no longer wore a wedding band.
His lust rose up like the beast it was and salivated at the prospect of having her. Lull her with small talk and shared business, yes.
“It was very well received and the plantings have grown up quite a bit. Of course, we’ve had to empty the pools, change out some of the more water-dependent shrubs and flowers for some xeriscaping. The drought continues to plague us all.”
Her mouth flattened unhappily—not the direction he’d meant to take with her—so he added, “But I think the design carries it well. You should come see it.”
“I’d like that. And maybe we could discuss other projects you might be interested in starting?”
He shook his head, then caught the keen edge of desperation from her. He could have strung her along with that bait, but business was business. Even if he could get any kind of new landscaping past his board—and good luck with that—the ban on water use meant he had nothing for Celestina’s signature water-focused designs. It would be true for all of her clientele and she couldn’t be a stranger to that disappointment. Better to deliver that sort of pain decisively.
It wasn’t personal, just business. As in, once they dispensed with business, they could move on to personal. Besides, he knew how desperation motivated people—used it ruthlessly to his advantage—and this could be the opening with her that he needed.
“Unfortunately, no. You’d be the first I’d call, but with the ban on new water installations we—”
“Yes.” She cut him off with a flash of impatient anger, the fire he recalled. Then she held up a hand and smiled in apology. A glint of her eyes from behind the polarized lenses showed she’d rolled them dramatically. “Again I apologize. The lack of work has been rough.”
Her voice had a ragged tone, one he knew well from negotiations. Not just desperation but the sound of a person on the edge. Hating himself for the impulse, as it went directly opposite his desires, he suggested, “You might do better to relocate. Pacific Northwest, perhaps. Or New England.”
She laughed, not the rich, sultry one he recalled, but slightly hysterical. That turned into a sob. Her lush mouth crumpled and she covered it with her hand, ducking her face but not before she hid the fat tears rolling down her cheeks.
“Celestina.” He took her by the shoulders, bracing her, keeping her from taking off. “What’s wrong? Can I help?” Perhaps his instincts had led him true after all, to the words that cracked her composure and made her vulnerable.
“No,” she gasped, clearly lying and trying to make up for it by shaking her head vigorously. “Just…having a bad day. I’m so sorry for this. So embarrassed. I should—”
“You should come sit down and catch your breath.” Firmly he steered her to the umbrella tables nearby, deserted at this time of day. “Tell me what’s going on.”
She dragged off her sunglasses and furiously swiped at her eyes. “Look, I appreciate your concern. Really I do, but I’m fine.”
Patently untrue. Giving her a moment to reassemble the shreds of her dignity—breaking down in front of a client you’d hoped to be pitching work to could hardly be a comfortable experience—he reevaluated the situation. And ruefully discarded his plans to immediately seduce her. Wooing a woman in a shattered emotional state never paid off. He steered clear of boggy emotional ground for good reasons, not only because he knew his limitations. Besides, he might be a determined businessman and a ruthless opportunist, but he wasn’t a monster. At least, not that sort.
Still, he’d made the decision to have her and he never went back, once he’d set his mind. Failure was one thing. Failing to persist despite obstacles another thing entirely. Solve her problem, then seduction.
“I can’t help you unless you tell me about it.” He tried to make the demand coaxing, but he wasn’t letting her get away this time. No matter what.


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Read Voodoo Bride's reviews of the other books in this series:
Going Under
Under His Touch

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About Jeffe Kennedy:

Jeffe Kennedy is an award-winning author whose works include non-fiction, poetry, short fiction, and novels. She has been a Ucross Foundation Fellow, received the Wyoming Arts Council Fellowship for Poetry, and was awarded a Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Award. Her essays have appeared in many publications, including Redbook.

Her most recent works include a number of fiction series: the fantasy romance novels of A Covenant of Thorns; the contemporary BDSM novellas of the Facets of Passion, and an erotic contemporary serial novel, Master of the Opera. A fourth series, the fantasy trilogy The Twelve Kingdoms, hit the shelves starting in May 2014 and book 1, The Mark of the Tala, received a starred Library Journal review and has been nominated for the RT Book of the Year while the sequel, The Tears of the Rose, has been nominated for best fantasy romance of the year. A fifth series, the highly anticipated erotic romance trilogy, Falling Under, released starting with Going Under, followed by Under His Touch and Under Contract.
She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with two Maine coon cats, plentiful free-range lizards and a very handsome Doctor of Oriental Medicine.

Jeffe can be found online at her website: JeffeKennedy.com, every Sunday at the popular Word Whores blog, on Facebook, and pretty much constantly on Twitter @jeffekennedy. She is represented by Connor Goldsmith of Fuse Literary.

http://jeffekennedy.com

https://www.facebook.com/Author.Jeffe.Kennedy

https://twitter.com/jeffekennedy

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1014374.Jeffe_Kennedy

Monday 6 July 2015

Enclave - Book Review (repost)

There'll be a new review on Wednesday, but for now another review repost of a book I really love!

Enclave (Razorland #1)
by Ann Aguirre


What is it about:
In Deuce’s world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed ‘brat’ has trained into one of three groups–Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember.

As a Huntress, her purpose is clear—to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She’s worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing’s going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce’s troubles are just beginning.

Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn’t like following orders. At first she thinks he’s crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don’t always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she’s never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace.

As Deuce’s perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy… but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she’s ever known.


What did I think of it:
Being a sucker for stories set in a post-apocalyptic world I just had to read this book.

And let me tell you: Enclave totally blew me away!

Let me start with the setting:
Aguirre creates a realistic, gritty, grim and even barbaric world and describes this in such colorful detail I could easily picture it. The Enclave in which Deuce lives and the tunnels around it feel real and alive. I was impressed by how Aguirre described this strange and yet familiar world and succeeded in letting me see it through Deuce's eyes.

As for the characters:
Deuce is a difficult person to love at first, but as she learns and grows I started to grow to like her until I found myself rooting for her. Fade on the other hand is someone I connected with and rooted for from the start and often I found myself agreeing with him when he and Deuce collided with each other.

The story:
Absolutely awesome!
It has everything I love: suspense, kick-ass action, terrifying monsters, betrayal, hope and even love. It's gritty, dark and full of emotion. I like how Aguirre doesn't pull any punches and shows the gruesome reality of a world in ruins and what mankind can turn into when the worst comes to the worst.

So nothing negative to say?
The critical reader might find some small inconsistencies, like Deuce using the word window and then later on in the story she suddenly doesn't know what a window is, but it's nothing major and it certainly didn't diminish my enjoyment of this book.

I will most certainly read the next book in this series 'Outpost', which is expected to be released in September 2012.

Why should you read it:
It's an awesome post-apocalyptic Young Adult story.


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Friday 3 July 2015

The Mark of the Tala - Book Review (repost)

Another review repost of a book I really love and want everyone to read.


The Mark of the Tala (The Twelve Kingdoms #1)
by Jeffe Kennedy


What is it about:
Queen Of The Unknown

The tales tell of three sisters, daughters of the high king. The eldest, a valiant warrior-woman, heir to the kingdom. The youngest, the sweet beauty with her Prince Charming. No one says much about the middle princess, Andromeda. Andi, the other one.

Andi doesn't mind being invisible. She enjoys the company of her horse more than court, and she has a way of blending into the shadows. Until the day she meets a strange man riding, who keeps company with wolves and ravens, who rules a land of shapeshifters and demons. A country she'd thought was no more than legend--until he claims her as its queen.

In a moment everything changes: Her father, the wise king, becomes a warlord, suspicious and strategic. Whispers call her dead mother a traitor and a witch. Andi doesn't know if her own instincts can be trusted, as visions appear to her and her body begins to rebel.

For Andi, the time to learn her true nature has come. . .


What did I think of it:
Voodoo Bride and I are big fans of Jeffe's work, so we were very happy when we heard about this trilogy. We were even more happy when Jeffe sent us an ARC of The Mark of the Tala.

This is a wonderful story.

I loved reading how the three sisters interact with each other. It was very recognizable. I could relate with how Andi felt, and why she seeks her solace away from court and family.

And that's how she meets Rayfe. I wasn't sure what to think of Rayfe at first. He's mysterious, a bit dangerous, but very intriguing. I really liked how Andi is torn about him and what happens as well. There might be an immediate attraction, but by no means insta-love. Instead Andi does the sensible thing at first: defend herself, and run away.

Then Andi discovers important secrets have been kept from her, and suddenly two countries are fighting over her.

I really love how Andi tries to do what is right, even if that means doing things her family doesn't approve of. She is faced with difficult choices, and is willing to sacrifice herself for those she cares about.

The complex relationship between Andi and Rayfe is also great to see develop. There's attraction, but Andi isn't foolish enough to mistake that for love. She keeps on her guard, and I loved seeing the two of them slowly getting to know each other better.

The ending was satisfying, but also leaves lots of things open that made me wonder what will happen next for the three sisters. All in all this is a beautiful story that captured me and has me eager for more. I can advice this to anyone who loves Romantic Fantasy. I will most certainly reread this book often, and I'll eagerly await the next book in this trilogy.

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


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Thursday 2 July 2015

Tunnels of Blood - Book Review


Tunnels of Blood (Cirque du Freak #3)
by Darren Shan


What is it about:
Darren, the vampire's assistant, gets a taste of the city when he leaves the Cirque Du Freak with Evra the snake-boy and Mr. Crepsley. When corpses are discovered--corpses drained of blood-- Darren and Evra are compelled to hunt down whatever foul creature is committing such horrendous acts.

Meanwhile, beneath the streets, evil stalks Darren and Evra, and all clues point to Mr. Crepsley. Can they escape, or are they doomed to perish in the tunnels of blood?


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

I really enjoyed the previous two books, but this one is my favorite so far.

Gruesome murders, a vampire mentor who's not to be trusted, and tunnels of blood: What's not to like? ;-)

Seriously: this is a suspenseful and cool read. I like Darren and Evra as a team. Evra is a bit more sensible than Darren and keeps him from acting too rash. It's when Darren is on his own that he acts before he thinks and gets in trouble.

Mr. Crepsley is a very interesting character as well. I like how he got more background in this book.

The events are a bit predictable at times, but that didn't spoil my enjoyment in this book.

All in all this is a very entertaining book and series, and I'm glad I already have the next book in my TBR pile, because I want more.

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


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