Deadly Thorns - Book Review

Thornhill/Deadly Thorns (Hemlock #2)
by Kathleen Peacock

What is it about:
Mac can’t lose another friend. Even if he doesn’t want to be found.

The ripple effect caused by Mac’s best friend Amy’s murder has driven Mac’s new love, Kyle, to leave Hemlock and disappear from her life forever. But Mac knows that Kyle plans to enroll in a rehabilitation camp, where he can live with other werewolves. She refuses to accept his decision, especially since the camps are rumored to be tortuous. So she sets out in search of Kyle with a barely sober Jason—and Amy’s all-seeing ghost—in tow.

Clues lead Mac to find Kyle in a werewolf den in Colorado—but their reunion is cut short by a Tracker raid. Now Mac and Kyle are trapped inside the electric fences of Thornhill, a camp for young werewolves. As she devises an escape plan, Mac uncovers dangerous secrets buried within the walls of Thornhill—and realizes that the risk to the people she loves is greater than ever before.

What did I think of it:
Once again a book with a UK and a US title. My book is the UK version.

I really loved the first book in this series, so I preordered this book. Still it ended up an orphan somehow. When I finally picked it up I was pulled into the story from the start though. This is a very cool read.

Mac is a character you can root for. She learned to be wary and cautious the hard way. Still she has a big heart and that is what gets her into trouble. I also love Mac's friend Serena. She's quirky and fun and a real friend. I wasn't too fond of the guys. I missed Serena's brother in this book, my favorite male character from book one.

There's lots of things going on and I like how Peacock continued to explore human nature as she did in Deadly Hemlock. The intrigue and action kept me engrossed and I had a hard time putting the book down.

The ending left me hungry for more and I will most certainly get my trotters on the next book when it releases.

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

Top Pearls 2013 - part 2

Today the second and last part of my and Voodoo Bride's Top Pearls 2013 list.
Here are another 12 books that we really enjoyed reading this year, and that I can advice to anyone looking for an awesome read.


Shards & Ashes - Anthology
This anthology with Dystopian YA stories is a must read for anyone who loves Dystopian YA.

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick
A really cool, grim and realistic Post Apocalyptic YA read.

Five Golden Rings by Jeffe Kennedy
This BDSM romance isn't just a perfect read for the Holidays. It's a hot and delightful story any time of the year.

Between by Kerry Schafer
A beautiful Paranormal story about dreams, penguins and dragons.


Cold Blooded by Amanda Carlson
The best book yet in a very enjoyable and entertaining Urban Fantasy series.

Omens by Kelley Armstrong
A Paranormal thriller that keeps you reading. Armstrong proves she can do a lot more than write about werewolves.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black
An amazing, gritty, and grim YA about vampires. A must read for anyone who loves YA and vampires.

Runemarks by Joanne Harris
This YA Fantasy is cool and full of suspense and magic.


(Deadly) Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock
A really suspenseful Paranormal YA about werewolves and the human nature.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
A hauntingly beautiful YA read.

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
An awesome Post Apocalyptic YA with vampires

Rising Darkness by Thea Harrison
A dark and intense Paranormal Romance.



And that's my list of Top Pearls for 2013!

I hope you will have a wonderful New Year's Eve, and I wish you lots of happiness and awesome reads for 2014!

An Interview with Kathleen Peacock + Giveaway

Today an interview with Kathleen Peacock. Her Young Adult book Hemlock is one of the better werewolf books I've read this year. The second book in the Hemlock series, Thornhill, has just been released in the US, and the UK version, Deadly Thorns, will release in November.


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

IN DAYDREAMS: I’m TOTALLY a kickass (albeit chubby) vampire slayer who travels through time and space in a flying blue box and dates Han Solo. IN REALITY: I live in Atlantic Canada, spend too much time thinking about Doctor Who, and write books about ghosts and werewolves. LIKES: Converse All Stars, anime, bagels, The Princess Bride, 80s teen movies. DISLIKES: People who change lanes without signaling, book snobbery, waiting rooms.

How would you describe the Hemlock series?

I’m going to cheat a bit and reference the RT Book Reviews review for Hemlock. They said, “With a realistic feel, you’ll be left questioning everything you thought you knew about paranormal novels.” I tend to think of Hemlock as a werewolf novel that’s not really about werewolves. It’s really a story about trust and love and betrayal—how the people in your life might not always be the people you want (or need) them to be. In Hemlock, Mac is searching for the werewolf who killed her best friend and uncovers secrets that leave her wondering how well she knows anyone—including her former best friend.

Have you ever been tempted to use people who’d been rude to you in real life as victims in your books? Or have there been other people you used as characters in your books?

I've never been tempted to base victims on real people. I have occasionally daydreamed about including people who have been mean to me in the acknowledgements (because, really, proving people wrong can be highly motivating).

I've never based characters off of real people; my characters just show up on the page with their own quirks and histories.


What authors have been an influence to you? And have you read any books lately that you want to share with us or have you been too busy with writing to read?

Anne Rice, Stephen King, and Douglas Adams were all huge influences on my writing when I was a teen, and I think the ripple of those years and influences touches most of the things I write now. Anne Rice’s early Vampire Chronicles books left me with the desire to tell stories about “monsters” who seemed to spend as much time thinking about humanity as lurking in the shadows; Stephen King had me looking for mysteries and darkness in even the smallest of towns; and Douglas Adams taught me how important a sense of humor could be.

Let’s see. I’m answering these a bit early. I recently read The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle and the sequel, The Outside, should just have come out when this is posted, so let’s go with The Hallowed Ones.

Are there any other projects you’re working on or thinking about starting in the near future?

Right now, I’m working on the third Hemlock book (book two, Thornhill, was just release in the US and Canada). I have a few other ideas kicking around for post-Hemlock projects, but nothing I can share at the moment.

But thanks for asking me! And thanks for the interview! :)

Thanks for dropping by!



About Thornhill:

Mac can’t lose another friend. Even if he doesn’t want to be found.

The ripple effect caused by Mac’s best friend Amy’s murder has driven Mac’s new love, Kyle, to leave Hemlock and disappear from her life forever. But Mac knows that Kyle plans to enroll in a rehabilitation camp, where he can live with other werewolves. She refuses to accept his decision, especially since the camps are rumored to be tortuous. So she sets out in search of Kyle with a barely sober Jason—and Amy’s all-seeing ghost—in tow.

Clues lead Mac to find Kyle in a werewolf den in Colorado—but their reunion is cut short by a Tracker raid. Now Mac and Kyle are trapped inside the electric fences of Thornhill, a camp for young werewolves. As she devises an escape plan, Mac uncovers dangerous secrets buried within the walls of Thornhill—and realizes that the risk to the people she loves is greater than ever before.

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Giveaway:


Kathleen has kindly offered some cool swag for one reader of my blog.

The winner is Audrey!

A winner will be picked at random on October 15th.
Open internationally to everyone who's legally allowed to enter this giveaway.

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Don't forget to leave a comment:
I decided to have an event wide giveaway on my blog for commenters.

At the end of this event I'll pick one commenter on any author post of this event at random and that person will win a book of his/her choice as long as bookdepository ships to where you live, you're legally allowed to enter, and the book costs no more than 10$

And drop by Between Dreams and Reality as well for more great author posts.

Hemlock - Book Review

Hemlock (Hemlock #1)
by Kathleen Peacock

What is it about:
Mackenzie and Amy were best friends. Until Amy was brutally murdered.

Since then, Mac's life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac's hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy's killer:

A white werewolf.

Lupine syndrome--also known as the werewolf virus--is on the rise across the country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but bloodlust is not easy to control.

Wanting desperately to put an end to her nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy's murder herself. She discovers secrets lurking in the shadows of Hemlock, secrets about Amy's boyfriend, Jason, her good pal Kyle, and especially her late best friend. Mac is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and betrayal that puts her life at risk.

Kathleen Peacock's thrilling novel is the first in the Hemlock trilogy, a spellbinding urban fantasy series filled with provocative questions about prejudice, trust, lies, and love.

What did I think of it:
So, you might notice I'm reviewing a book named Hemlock, while the cover says Deadly Hemlock. That's because for some reason the US version is called Hemlock, but the UK version is called Deadly Hemlock for some reason. I guess the UK publisher thought Hemlock didn't sound suspenseful enough.

Anyway:

I picked this book up on the recommendation of a friend and I am very glad I did, because this is a really great read.

Mac is a likeable character and I rooted for her from the start, even though there were moments I wanted to slap some sense into her. I really liked how Peacock showed how the death of Amy changed Mac and her friends and how each of them copes in another way.

The world building was interesting and the way people treat werewolves was disturbing, especially as it felt really believable. This story sure makes you think about how you would react to having werewolves living among us.

The story was intense and once I started reading it was difficult to put the book down. I wanted to know what would happen next. Some things were pretty easy to figure out, other events took me completely by surprise. The ending is satisfying while at the same time leaving more than enough things open to make me eager for the next book.

All in all this is a gripping read that lingers after you finished it and I will make sure to get my trotters on the next book when it releases.

Why should you read it:
It's an intense Paranormal YA read.