Waiting on Wednesday

1/10/2010

F

rannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She has spent years keeping everyone at a distance---even her closest friends---and it seems as if her senior year is going to be more of the same . . . until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can’t seem to stay away from him.

What she doesn’t know is that Luc is on a mission. He’s been sent from Hell itself to claim Frannie’s soul. It should be easy---all he has to do is get her to sin, and Luc is as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn’t stand a chance. But he has to work fast, because if the infernals are after her, the celestials can’t be far behind. And sure enough, it’s not long before the angel Gabriel shows up, willing to do anything to keep Luc from getting what he came for. It isn’t long before they find themselves fighting for more than just Frannie’s soul.

But if Luc fails, there will be Hell to pay . . . for all of them.

(description from Pan Macmillan)

1/09/2010

A stunning new voice in fantasy

The city of Isca is set like a dark jewel in the crown of the Duchy of Stonehold. In this sprawling landscape, the monsters one sees are nothing compared to what's living in the city's sewers.

Twenty-three-year-old Caliph Howl is Stonehold's reluctant High King. Thrust onto the throne, Caliph has inherited Stonehold's dirtiest court secrets. He also faces a brewing civil war that he is unprepared to fight. After months alone amid a swirl of gossip and political machinations, the sudden reappearance of his old lover, Sena, is a welcome bit of relief. But Sena has her own legacy to claim: she has been trained from birth by the Shradnae witchocracy – adept in espionage and the art of magical equations writ in blood – and she has been sent to spy on the High King. Yet there are magics that demand a higher price than blood.

Sena secretly plots to unlock the Cisrym Ta, an arcane text whose pages contain the power to destroy worlds. The key to opening the book lies in Caliph's veins, forcing Sena to decide if her obsession for power is greater than her love for Caliph. Meanwhile, a fleet of airships creeps ever closer to Isca. As the final battle in a devastating civil war looms and the last page of the Cisrym Ta waits to be read, Caliph and Sena must face the deadly consequences of their decisions. And the blood of these conflicts will stain this and other worlds forever.

25/10/2010

Bavaria, 1886

King Ludwig II, infamous for his eccentric behavior, is declared insane by his government and removed from his throne. A day later, Ludwig's corpse washes up in the shallows of Lake Starnberg. Rumours about the cause of the tragedy abound, but few people know why Ludwig was really killed. Or what secret was silenced by his death.

Germany, present day . . .

Hidden among the crates in a newly discovered Nazi bunker are documents stamped with a black swan, the insignia of the murdered king. As a favour to a friend, Jonathon Payne and David Jones fly to Bavaria to protect the documents, but soon face a life-or-death battle against an unknown enemy. From the depths of the Black Forest to the water canals underneath Ludwig's castles, the duo must solve the mystery behind the king's death or share his tragic fate.

(description from Penguin)

What are you waiting for?

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

New Winner!

Unfortunately the winner random.org chose as the lucky recipient of Mel Teshco's book did not respond in the alloted time frame, so a new winner has been chosen. And that winner is JenM! Jen I have emailed you and you have three days to respond or another winner will be chosen, again. Thank you.

Upcoming Event - Chris Morphew

This Saturday 14th August, I have the pleasure of posting an interview with Jordan, Peter & Luke from Chris Morphew's YA series 'The Phoenix Files'. I hope you'll stop by as there is a chance to win a signed copy of the first book in the series 'The Phoenix Files: Arrival'. This event is part of my Spotlight on Australian Authors.  

Born in Sydney in 1985, Chris Morphew spent his childhood drawing comic books and writing stories about dinosaurs and time machines. It was to prove the beginning of a fascination with all things science fiction. Today Chris remains a certified sci-fi junkie and counts Lost among his favourite TV shows. He divides his time between writing, casual teaching and coordinating activities for the children who attend his local church.

His debut novel, Arrival, is the first in a six book series, The Phoenix Files. This transfixing thriller tells the gripping story of three teenagers who uncover a plot to wipe out the entire human race – everyone, that is, except the residents of Phoenix, a small corporate town cut off from the rest of the world. There are no cars allowed in Phoenix, no phone lines, and there’s a private security force in place of a normal police service. So how exactly are three 15-year-old kids supposed to save humanity? Especially when there’s just 100 days until the end of the world – and the clock is already ticking…The Phoenix Files: Arrival combines heart-stopping plot twists that you won’t see coming as well as plenty of action, suspense and edge-of-your-seat excitement! (info from the Melbourne Writers Festival MWF)

Luke is having a rough year. When his parents split up, his mum drags him to Phoenix, a brand-new town in the middle of nowhere.

But Phoenix is no ordinary town. There are no cars, no phones and no internet. Luke thinks this is as weird as it gets.

Then he discovers that someone is plotting to wipe out the human race. Phoenix is suddenly the safest and most dangerous place on earth.

And the clock is already ticking.

There are one hundred days until the end of the world.

Peter's life seemed pretty normal. Until he discovered that everyone outside the town of Phoenix was going to die.

The all-powerful Shackleton Co-operative will do whatever it takes to keep him and his friends quiet.

And the clock is still ticking.

There are 88 days until the end of the world.

Jordan's world is falling apart. She's a prisoner in her own skin, trapped by an enemy who can paralyse her at the touch of a button.

And the questions in Phoenix keep piling higher.

Why is Jordan starting to see things before they happen? What's wrong with her mother's pregnancy? And why do Peter's old friends suddenly want to talk to him again?

The clock is still ticking.

There are 70 days until the end of the world.

Visit Chris at his website for more info.

Or The Phoenix Files.

We have a Winner!

The winner of the Mel Teshco giveaway is 

Coley!

Please email me within the next three days, or another winner will be chosen.

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto review

ISBN: 9780732289898;

 ISBN10: 0732289890;

 On Sale: 1/08/2010 Aus
 & 31/08/2010 USA;

 Format: Trade paperback;

 Pages: 484

Amazon
Book Depository

Nothing much happens in the sleepy town of Venus Cove. But everything changes when three angels, Ivy, Bethany and Gabriel are sent from heaven to protect the town against the gathering forces of darkness. They work hard to conceal their true identity and, most of all, their wings.

But the mission is threatened when the youngest angel, Bethany, is sent to high school and falls for the handsome school captain, Xavier Woods. Will she defy the laws of Heaven by loving him?

Things come to a head when the angels realize they are not the only supernatural power in Venus Cove. There′s a new kid in town and he′s charming, seductive and deadly. Worst of all, he′s after Beth.

The angels and Xavier must work together to overcome the dark forces - but will Beth survive the battle?

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

I must give kudos to Miss Adornetto. She is only 17 and this is her fourth book. Halo is quite beautiful. But it does start off slow, with Bethany learning to be human and explaining her experiences. Her descriptions are in depth, but not over the top. I thought I might get annoyed with her descriptions, but for me, they were just enough. Bethany takes to being human like a duck to water. She doesn't understand why or how her brother and sister are so removed from their feelings. She acts like a teenager, with wanting to be treated as an adult, yet still acts rather childishly. She even snaps "I won't be treated like a child," and then proceeds to storm away defiantly. Being an angel she has different views, and understands the significance of their role on Earth. She's kind, caring and naive, but she is still has a strong personality and conviction. I found her very likable. When she meets Xavier Woods, she becomes a little confused but is thrilled with the attention, even though she knows becoming attached to him is not really allowed. Their relationship grows steadily and they come to realize they have very deep feelings for each other. Gabriel and Ivy are not thrilled with Beth's association with Xavier, but after divine acceptance, they begin to welcome him.  
Xavier comes from a religious family, and is a boy you would love to bring home to meet your mother. He's charismatic, kind, thoughtful, understanding, approachable and never pushes Beth for more than she can give. Of course he's also attractive. I liked Xavier a lot and wish more young men were more like him. There's a new kid from London, Jake, who is also attractive, charming and has an unnatural hold on people. Beth likes to see the best in everyone, and when his true nature is revealed she beats herself up a bit, trying to understand why she didn't see what he was. At the end, Beth and Xavier are both changed by what they have been through, with it affecting Bethany more. Xavier is always there for and helps her through her issues. Beth grew well as a character, and I really want to see how the rest of her story plays out.
Halo is well written, imaginative, enchanting and the characters relatable. The beginning is a bit slow, but not unreadable. I always wanted to read how Bethany would react to a new situation, some of which are quite humorous. Halo, well my version, is 484 pages long and may seem like a daunting read, but I urge you to give it a go anyway. I still can't quit believe it's written by a seventeen year old, and her age does sometimes come through the pages. I think it gives the story a bit more authenticity as Bethany is seventeen too. 
        This is a little more tame YA novel, but I do highly recommend it.
4 out of 5.

Jealousy by Lili St. Crow

Published: 2/08/2010

Format: Paperback,324 pages

ISBN-13: 9781921518874

Imprint: Razorbill

Publisher: Penguin Aus.

Love is a battlefield.

Just when Dru thought she was safe, everything exploded in her face. Her mom and dad are long gone, her protectors Graves and Christophe kinda want to rip each other's throats out, and a four-hundred-year-old nosferat named Sergej won't stop hunting her until his bloodthirsty army of suckers has torn her to shreds.

Dru's finally made it to the Schola Prima - the Real Deal djamphir training facility and home of the Order - and life is about to get even more Real World. There's a brand new svetocha in town - a readheaded vixen named Anna who's got the Order wrapped around her pretty little finger, and who'd rather kill Dru than share the spotlight. Turns out Dru's got something Anna wants. And his name just happens to be Christophe Reynard.

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

Lili St. Crow aka Lilith Saintcrow is such a fabulous author. I love her Dante Valentine and Jill Kismet Urban Fantasy series. When I heard she was releasing a YA Urban Fantasy series I knew I had to read it. She sure does not disappoint.

All Lilith's characters are strong, brave and slightly damaged. Dru is a younger version. Her mother's been dead for over ten years and her father came down with a serious case of Zombie-itis. Dru has suffered through a lot, and always somehow manages to go on. She's insecure, afraid, and is on constant guard. She has finally reached he supposed safety of the Schola Prima. But Dru doesn't feel safe and feels it's just a matter of time before the illusion of safety is shattered. She's trying to figure out her relationship with Graves-do they have one or not? Then there's Anna, another svetocha, who seems to have in for her. She doesn't understand Anna's animosity, or where it comes from. She is also trying to figure out who she can trust. Whose on Anna's side and whose on hers. Once again, her life hangs in the balance and Christophe shows up to save her. Dru isn't sure of her feelings for him, and is scared he will once again leave her, like everyone else in her life seems to have done. The ending goes boom! with Dru finding out a shocking secret, and Graves is missing.

 Lili St. Crow has delivered an action and drama filled third installment of the Strange Angels series. It's grittier, darker, and more action-packed than most YA Urban Fantasy reads. The story is sharp and vivid, and her characters enjoyable. Defiance can not come soon enough.  

My latest haul.

I bought these last week.

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod books 1&2 by Heather Brewer.

Demon Princess Reign Check by Michelle Rowan.

and Jealousy by Lili St. Crow.

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

I bought these this week. 

Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon.

Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto.

Earth to Hell by Kylie Chan.

Shadowglass by Erica hayes.

The Phoenix Files Mutation by Chris Morphew.

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater 

and The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa.

Don't forget this Saturday 7th Aug is the last chance for you win a Mel Teshco book just by commenting. Then on Saturday 14th August I have a character interview with the kids from The Phoenix Files by Chris Morphew, with a chance to win a copy of the first book in the series 'Arrival'. So stay tuned!