Book Review - The Gatekeepers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Waiting on Wednesday - Storm's Heart

Storm's Heart by Thea Harrison

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

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

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

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

Available August 2, 2011

Teaser Tuesdays - The Red Heart of Jade

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

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

Shadow Touch - Book Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And We Have a Winner!

The Random Number generator has spoken:

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

Stella: I'll be emailing you.

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

The Last Twilight Giveaway Reminder

There's still time to enter my giveaway here.

Nightfall - Book Review

Nightfall (Dark Age Dawning #1) by Ellen Connor

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

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

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

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

And I was proven wrong in my assumptions once again!

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

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

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

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

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