Emma The Bookworm

The way of Shadows (Night Angel Trilogy 1) By Brent Weeks

2010-10-20T11:28:00.000+02:00

Product Description

For Durzo Blint, assassination is an art-and he is the city's most accomplished artist.

For Azoth, survival is precarious. Something you never take for granted. As a guild rat, he's grown up in the slums, and learned to judge people quickly - and to take risks. Risks like apprenticing himself to Durzo Blint.

But to be accepted, Azoth must turn his back on his old life and embrace a new identity and name. As Kylar Stern, he must learn to navigate the assassins' world of dangerous politics and strange magics - and cultivate a flair for death.

MY REVIEW 1/10

I actually didn't finish this book,and read upto page 127 of 450 pages of the ebook. It was quite painful to read and extremely frustrating. I didn't care about the characters nor the plot which seemed non-existent, and the descriptions and names were cringe worthy "doll-girl, wetboy, rat, Durzo Blint? Why on earth would you call an assassin a wetboy, sounds rather fishy to me and with all these ridiculous names I found it difficult to read. The plot jumped from 1 character to another which was utterly confusing and u necessary. The idea of keeping all the pointless scenes leads to a complete mess.

Frankly I was very disappointed.

Teaser Tuesday

2010-08-24T09:24:00.000+02:00

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!

Here's mine for this week:

The pink cubicle had winked out of existence, the monkeys had sunk away to a better dimension.
Ford and Arthur found themselves in the embarkation area of the ship. It was rather smart.
"I think the ship's brand new," said Ford.
"How can you tell?" asked Arthur. "Have you got some exotic device for measuring the age of
metal?". "No, I just found this sales brochure lying on the floor.

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy By Douglas Adams page 73.

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your 2 ‘teasers’ in a comment here .Thanks and have a great Tuesday.

TOP 100 THRILLERS

2010-08-22T13:58:00.001+02:00

NPR has published a list of the top 100 "Killer Thrillers." The NPR audience nominated about 600 novels to the poll and cast over 17,000 ballots. Stephen King has six titles in the top 100 list. Below is the top ten.

This is the Top 50, if you want to see the top 100 books click here

1. The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
3. Kiss the Girls, by James Patterson
4. The Bourne Identity, by Robert Ludlum
5. In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote
6. The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown
7. The Shining, by Stephen King
8. And Then There Were None, by Agatha Christie
9. The Hunt tor Red October, by Tom Clancy
10. The Hound of the Baskervilles, by Sir Arthur C.Doyle

11. Dracula, by Bram Stoker

12. The Stand, by Stephen King
13. The Bone Collector, by Jeffery Deaver
14. Jurassic Park, by Michael Crichton
15. Angels and Demons, by Dan Brown
16. A Time to Kill, by John Grisham
17. The Andromeda Strain, by Michael Crichton
18. Mystic River, by Dennis Lehane
19. The Day of the Jackal, by Frederick Forsyth
20. Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier

21. Eye of the Needle, by Ken Follett
22. It, by Stephen King
23. The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas
24. The Girl Who Played with Fire, by Stieg Larsson
25. Jaws, by Peter Benchley
26. The Alienist, by Caleb Carr
27. Red Dragon, by Thomas Harris
28. Presumed Innocent, by Scott Turow
29. The Maltese Falcon, by Dashiell Hammett
30. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, by Stieg Larsson

31. No Country for old men By Cormac McCarthy

32. Gone Baby Gone, by Dennis Lehane
33. Gorky Park, by Martin Cruz Smith
34. Rosemary's Baby, by Ira Levin
35. Subterranean, by James Rollins
36. Clear and Present Danger, by Tom Clancy
37. Salem's Lot, by Stephen King
38. Shutter Island, by Dennis Lehane
39. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, by John Le Carre
40. The Poet, by Michael Connelly

41. The Boys from Brazil, by Ira Levin
42. Cape Fear, by John MacDonald
43. The Bride Collector, by Ted Dekker
44. Pet Sematary, by Stephen King
45. Dead Zone, by Stephen King
46. The Manchurian Candidate, by Richard Condon
47. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, by John Le Carre
48. The Talented Mr. Ripley, by Patricia Highsmith
49. Tell No One, by Harlan Coben
50. Consent to Kill, by Vince Flynn

Why not take a look at the list and see whether you agree with it.

What would definately make your list of Top Thrillers?

In My Mailbox

2010-08-21T17:48:00.000+02:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

I havent received many books this week as I have been too busy trying to read the ones that I already have, but these are 2 books that I have recieved this week.

The Red Pyramid By Rick Riordan

I will be Reviewing this book shortly so keep an eye out. I am really looking forward to reading this, and I can actually fit this into my Book Club's reading Challenge.

The Truth about Forever By Sarah Dessen

Friday Finds

2010-08-20T10:20:00.001+02:00

I have been so busy lately with trying to juggle home-life and also reading. Our Book Club has a great challenge and it has me reading into the wee hours. It has also introduced me to some great books that I would never have thought of reading before. So here are a few of the books for my Friday Finds.

The Giver By Lois Lowry

In the "ideal" world into which Jonas was born, everybody has sensibly agreed that well-matched married couples will raise exactly two offspring, one boy and one girl. These children's adolescent sexual impulses will be stifled with specially prescribed drugs; at age 12 they will receive an appropriate career assignment, sensibly chosen by the community's Elders.

Terrier - By Tamora Pierce

BEKA COOPER IS a rookie with the Provost's Guard, and she's been assigned to the Lower City. It's a tough beat, but Beka can hear the voices of the dead on the wings of pigeons, and Beka's birds clue her in to two major murderers on the loose. The rest of the Guard is busy investigating the fire opal killer, so it's up to Beka to nab the Shadow Snake.

The Glass Rainbow By James Lee Burke

in his superlative 18th novel featuring Iberia, La., deputy sheriff Dave Robicheaux (after Swan Peak). Robicheaux finds himself dealing with adopted daughter Alafair's attraction to novelist Kermit Abelard of the degenerate Abelard clan (who echo Faulkner's Snopses), as well as trying to avenge the sadistic murders of two young women, aided by best friend Clete Purcel. Evil comes in many forms, from the psychotic interloper Vidor Perkins to Robert Weingart, a convict turned author, whom Kermit has championed.

My Blood Approves By Amanda Hocking

Seventeen-year-old Alice Bonham's life feels out of control after she meets Jack. With his fondness for pink Chuck Taylors and New Wave hits aside, Jack's unlike anyone she's ever met.

Then she meets his brother, Peter. His eyes pierce through her, and she can barely breathe when he's around. Even though he can't stand the sight of her, she's drawn to him.

But falling for two very different guys isn't even the worst of her problems. Jack and Peter are vampires.

Oh and its Friday so you know what that means? Join in the fun and follow as many bloggers as you can.

Happy Friday everyone and thanks for stopping by.

Leaving Paradise By Simone Elkeles

2010-08-12T10:09:00.000+02:00

My Review Rating 7/10

GOODREADS DESCRIPTION

Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares — has been canceled.

After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers.

Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other

MY REVIEW

I really enjoy reading Simone Elkeles books, although a YA writer she is one who can bridge the gap between YA and adults very nicely.

Two very different people are joined together by the most common yet dreadful experience. Both live in the town of Paradise, but for them it is nothing like the name.

Caleb Becker has just been released from having hit a girl whilst driving drunk and maiming her. Caleb now has to return to the small town of Paradise to rebuild his life. But for Caleb, returning to Paradise isn't so easy. His mother is trying to act like nothing has happened, his sister hardly talks to anyone and looks like a vampire chick, and his dad is never there.

Maggie Armstrong was that innocent person that Caleb hit, and she's been living in her own prison, the hospital.The worst news comes to her is that Caleb has been released early and now school is starting she will have to face him every day. Trying to get back her life, Maggie has been trying her best to walk right again. But during those times, the people who Maggie thought were her friends began to grow apart from her.

I really liked both Maggie and Caleb, they were both very real characters and the developing romance between them was very well written and believable. I love the way Simone Elkeles switches the point of view between them so we really get both sides of the story. I also felt that the relationships between Maggie & Caleb and their respective families were very well written - the accident and it's aftermath had a major impact on family life for everyone involved.

I'm really looking forward to the next novel, having left off the way it did makes me eager to know what happens with Caleb and Maggie.

If you are a fan of Perfect Chemistry I'm sure you'll enjoy Leaving Paradise and I would definitely recommend it.

The Passage By Justin Cronin

2010-08-07T15:45:00.006+02:00

Product Description

First, the unthinkable: a security breach at a secret U.S. government facility unleashes the monstrous product of a chilling military experiment. Then, the unspeakable: a night of chaos and carnage gives way to sunrise on a nation, and ultimately a world, forever altered. All that remains for the stunned survivors is the long fight ahead and a future ruled by fear—of darkness, of death, of a fate far worse.

As civilization swiftly crumbles into a primal landscape of predators and prey, two people flee in search of sanctuary. FBI agent Brad Wolgast is a good man haunted by what he’s done in the line of duty. Six-year-old orphan Amy Harper Bellafonte is a refugee from the doomed scientific project that has triggered apocalypse. He is determined to protect her from the horror set loose by her captors. But for Amy, escaping the bloody fallout is only the beginning of a much longer odyssey—spanning miles and decades—towards the time and place where she must finish what should never have begun.

MY REVIEW

I never seem to be daunted by long books, I once read THE STAND by Stephen King when I was 16, and I think if you can read that, you can read anything. So the length of this book didn’t bother me. I had read other reviews about this book and they were fairly mixed, the word’s that were used quite frequently were “Boring” and “slow” but over time I have come to know that some people are incredibly impatient and if someone isn’t getting killed, chased or blown up then they tend to give up. I normally would consider myself one of those people, If a book doesn’t grab me in the first 50 pages then I simply read something else. I didn’t have a problem with THE PASSAGE.

The Passage is the first of a post-apocalyptic vampire trilogy.
This "apocalypse" is brought on by a single event, in this case a secret government experiment gone wrong. The test-subjects, twelve death row inmates and a six-year-old orphan Amy are injected with a virus which is believed to have near-magical powers. The experiment goes wrong; the human guinea pigs escape, and spread the virus with them. The infected transform into super-fast, super-strong "vampires" with an appetite for live meat and an aversion to sunlight. They soon overrun America and the Rest of The world. As Cronin puts it "It happened fast. Thirty two minutes for one world to die, another to be born".

Then we jump 100 years into the future and into a very different world. It could almost be a separate book as old characters are killed off and new ones are introduced and this is when some readers have accused the book of being slow, this wasn’t the case for me. I guess the book does slow down slightly, but at no point did It lose my interest, and after some introduction to new characters and their background, the story is back on track at an enthralling pace.

This second part of the book focuses on the descendants of the survivors of the initial outbreak who are living in an isolated colony. Amy, now immortal, is found by one of the colonists, and they embark on a mission to Colorado to the place of the original experiment with the hope of somehow eradicating the vampire’s or as the colonists call them “Virals”.

This book leads you on a rollercoaster ride of action and adventure. There's something for everyone here and I hope that readers will not be put off by the sheer size of this book and instead embrace this mesmerizing, epic tale. There have been many books that I have read that haven’t lived upto the hype, but for once this book deserves the attention. You would only be doing yourself a disservice by ignoring it. I look forward to reading the subsequent titles and I recommend this book to anyone.

About the Author

Born in New England, Justin Cronin is the author of Mary O Neill which won the Pen/Hemingway Award and the Stephen Crane Prize, and The Summer Guest. Having earned his MFA from the Iowa Writers Workshop, Cronin is now a professor of English at Rice University and lives with his family in Houston, Texas.

Justin Cronin's Website

Subject Zero Website

Friday Finds

2010-08-06T07:31:00.001+02:00

What great books did you hear about/discover this past week? Share with us your FRIDAY FINDS!

Here are mine for this week:

Beyond the Reflections Edge By Bryan Davis

Sixteen-year-old Nathan Shepherd has a great life traveling where the careers of his father, an investigator, and mother, a renowned violinist, take him ... until his parents are found murdered. Left with only a mirror and notes from his father's last case, Nathan goes into hiding at the remote country home of Tony, his father's college buddy, and Tony's teenage daughter, Kelly. The mysterious mirror must be a clue to what happened to his parents, and when images appear in it---people and things that don't exist---Nathan and Kelly painstakingly gather evidence. But the killers want the mirror too, and danger threatens the teens at every turn. As it becomes evident that Nathan's father had stumbled upon dark forces at work in the world, several questions arise. Could it be that the mirror is a portal to a parallel world? Could this technology be used for evil purposes? And could his parents still be alive, trapped in another dimension? Nathan and Kelly struggle to solve the mystery before they too become victims. This chilling, hair-raising adventure is jam-packed with action in a fantastical world where nothing is as it seems, and even mirrors tell lies.

Face of Betrayal ( A triple Threat Novel) By Lis Wiehl

When 17-year-old Senate page Katie Converse goes missing on her Christmas break near her parents' white Victorian home in Portland, Ore., law enforcement and media personnel go into overdrive in a search for clues. Three friends at the pinnacle of their respective careers—Allison Pierce, a federal prosecutor; Cassidy Shaw, a crime reporter; and Nicole Hedges, an FBI special agent—soon discover that Katie wasn't the picture of innocence painted by her parents. It appears Katie was having an affair with a much older man, a senator whose political career could be derailed if the affair was publicized. The seamless plot offers a plethora of twists and turns.

Rules of Attraction By Simone Elkeles -Sequel to Perfect Chemistry

Carlos Fuentes doesn't want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him in Boulder, Colorado. He wants to keep living on the edge, and carve his own path—just like Alex did. Unfortunately, his ties to a Mexican gang aren't easy to break, and he soon finds himself being set up by a drug lord.
danger grows for Carlos, he's shocked to discover that it's this seemingly All-American family who can save him. But is he willing to endanger their safety for a chance at the kind of life he's never even dreamed possible?

Jellicoe Road By Melina Marchetta

Taylor Markham isn’t just one of the new student leaders of her boarding school, she’s also the heir to the Underground Community, one of three battling school factions in her small Australian community (the others being the Cadets and the Townies). For a generation, these three camps have fought “the territory wars,” a deadly serious negotiation of land and property rife with surprise attacks, diplomatic immunities, and physical violence. Only this year, it’s complicated: Taylor might just have a thing for Cadet leader Jonah, and Jonah might just be the key to unlocking the secret identity of Taylor’s mother, who abandoned her when she was 11.

Why not share your Friday Finds?

Oh and since it is Follow Friday, be sure to follow me and I will follow you back.

And if you are new to Follow Friday please leave a comment and a link to your blog as I would love to check it out.

Teaser Tuesday

2010-08-03T08:59:00.000+02:00

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!

Well I am currently trying to read 4 books!! Yes a complete nightmare but this is what happens when you go on holiday and fall behind in your reading schedule.

So here are my teasers from 2 of the books that I am reading:

1. The Passage By Justin Cronin - Review next week!

"That’s the last,” she said to Peter. “We’ve got about ten seconds before they figure out the current’s off.” Caleb was straddling the top of the fence now. “Caleb,” she yelled, “move your ass!”

2. Before I fall By Lauren Oliver - Book club read for this month

It's funny, isn't it? When you are young you just want to be old, and then later you wish you could go back to being a kid."

I am looking forward to reading everyone's teasers this week. Have a Great day everyone.

Meet Me On Monday

2010-08-02T08:06:00.000+02:00

Welcome to the 8th edition of "Meet Me On Monday!"

Questions:

1. What is your favorite holiday?
2. What color clothing do you wear the most?
3. What is your heritage?
4. What is your middle name?
5. What is your favorite cookie?

My Answers:

1. What is your favourite Holiday?

Anytime that I can spend with friends and family is the best type of holiday for me.

2. What color clothing do you wear the most?

If I check in my closet there seems to be a mish mash of colours, but I tend to sway towards black, greys and white, but I do like green as well.

3. What is your Heritage?

I was born in England but now live in South Africa.

4. What is your Middle Name?

LOUISE

5. What is your favourite cookie?

I used to love Jammy Dodgers when I was little. I live in South Africa now, and they just dont taste the same here.

In My Mailbox

2010-08-01T13:41:00.003+02:00

I have been on holiday for a week with my hubby so I haven't had much chance to blog or read, but saying that somehow I always manage to read something. What can I say? I am a bookworm ;-)

In My Mailbox is a weekely meme hosted by The Story Siren and is a great way to share what new books you get each week. Either from the library or ones you have bought recently.

So here are my books for the week.They are both e-books so I am sure that they will still count.

1. Incarceron By Catherine Fisher

Finn is a 17-year old prisoner of Incarceron. His memories begin and end there. He knows nothing about his heritage except for vague memories that tease at his mind. The teen is determined to escape the prison fashioned centuries ago as a solution to the chaos created by man. Now Incarceron is self-sustaining and self-perpetuatingprisoners are born there and they die there. Legend claims only one man has ever escaped, Sapphique, and Finn is determined to follow in his steps. Claudia, the warden's daughter, lives sequestered in a castle surrounded by servants. But she, too, longs for escape—from a father who frightens her and from betrothal to an insipid prince.

2. Darkflame By Alyson Noel

In Alyson Noel’s most darkly seductive Immortals novel yet, Ever fights for control of her body, her soul—and the timeless true love she’s been chasing for centuries.

What about you?

Infidel By Ayaan Hirsi Ali

2010-08-01T12:58:00.000+02:00

My Review Rating 10/10. A definite Must read!

This is the first book this year that I will rate 10/10. It was a page turner and I simply could not put this book down. I was compelled to read every page and was absolutely fascinated with Ayaan's upbringing and life as a young Muslim woman.

In 2004, Ayaan received numerous death threats due to the film she was making with a dutch filmmaker named Theo Van Gogh. At the time, Ali was collaborating with Van Gogh on his film, Submission, which questioned a culture and religion that oppresses Muslim .

In her compelling memoir, INFIDEL, Ali shares her extraordinary ordeal in surviving a "culture of virginity" that oppresses women, and threatens their liberty as well as their lives. From her own experiences, she reveals the brutal genital mutilation that is prolific in Somalia and unfortunately many other lands today.Her forced marriage-abuses suffered by other female Muslims. While en route to meet her new husband in Canada, Ayaan abruptly decided to seek political asylum in the Netherlands-where she became a Dutch citizen, enrolled in a university, and then met Van Gogh-a decision that ultimately transformed her into an internationally renowned spokeswoman for the rights of all Muslim women. Ali's ultimate conclusion is that Islamic practices are incompatible in many ways with modern life and democracy, and should not be tolerated in the West without radical transformation.

I found many things fascinating in this book, that Muslims are not really supposed to question their religion, as to be a Muslim means to submit, yet Ayaan continually asked and sought out answers to her many questions. Of-course today we live in a world that has become politically correct, and tries its best not to be offensive to other cultures , yet Ayaan urges us all to question.

There aren't more people speaking out because they're afraid of becoming the next Theo van Gogh; they're afraid some Islamic fundamentalist will stick a knife in their chest if they tell the truth. Look at what happened when this author spoke up. She had to go into hiding for weeks at a time in order to avoid execution. "Infidel" is a wake up call to the West just as surely as the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 were. We ignore the problem at our own peril.

THIS WEEKS FEATURED BOOK/SERIES

2010-07-17T14:04:00.000+02:00

The Outlander Series By Diana Gabaldon

Are you a fan of the Outlander Series like me? Have you heard of this series? Well if not, then let me introduce you to a wonderful series, one that will captivate you from the very beginning.

Synopsis

The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon-when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach--an "outlander"--in a Scotland torn by war and raiding Highland clans in the year of Our Lord...1743.

Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into intrigues and dangers that may threaten her life...and shatter her heart. For here she meets James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, and becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire...and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

Novels in the Outlander Series

Outlander

Outlander, published in 1991, is the 1st book in the series. (Published as Cross Stitch in the UK.) This book introduces the main characters of Claire Beauchamp Fraser and Jaime Fraser, and is set in 18th century and 20th century Scotland.

Dragonfly in Amber

Published in 1992, Dragonfly continues the story and is set in 18th century Scotland and France, and 20th century America. The plot involves the 1745 Rising and the Battle of Culloden.

Voyager

Published in December of 1993, Voyager moves the story from Scotland to America, via the West Indies.

Drums of Autumn
Published in 1997, Drums of Autumn continues the series in America, beginning with 1767 Charleston through 1770.

The Fiery Cross
Fiery Cross, published in 2001, is set in the United States and covers the pre-Revolutionary War period from 1770 to 1772.

A Breath of Snow and Ashes
The 6th book in the series, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, was published in 2005. The book begins in 1772 and carries us through to the eve of the Revolutionary War.

An Echo in the Bone
Diana Gabaldon’s sweeping Outlander saga reaches new heights in An Echo in the Bone.

About this author

Diana Jean Gabaldon Watkins grew up in Flagstaff, Arizona and is of Mexican-American and English descent. She has earned three degrees: a B.S. in Zoology, a M.S. in Marine Biology, and a Ph.D in Ecology.

She currently lives in Scottsdale, Arizona .

Diana Gabaldons Official Website: http://www.dianagabaldon.com/
Author’s Blog: http://voyagesoftheartemis.blogspot.com

Favourite Quotes from this series:

Oh, Claire, ye do break my heart wi' loving you."

Blood of my Blood," he whispered, "and bone of my bone. You carry me within ye, Claire, and ye canna leave me now, no matter what happens, You are mine, always, if ye will it or no, if ye want me or nay. Mine, and I wilna let ye go."

Book Blogger Hop 16 - 20 July

2010-07-16T13:30:00.006+02:00

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and find new book-related blogs that we may be missing out on! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky list below!!

The Hop lasts Friday-Monday every week, so if you don't have time to Hop today, come back later and join the fun! This is a weekly event! And stop back throughout the weekend to see all the new blogs that are added! We get over 200 links every week!!

Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews.

RIGHT THIS INSTANT, WHAT BOOK ARE YOU DYING TO GET YOUR HANDS ON (PAST, PRESENT, OR FUTURE)?

My book would have to be : Dark and Stormy Knights By P.N. Elrod

Synopsis

They're the last defenders of humanity, the lone wolf bad boys— and girls—who do dark deeds for the right reasons. Modern day knights who are sexy, funny, mad, bad and dangerous to know because they do what most of us only dream about…and get away with it. In this all-star collection, nine of today’s hottest urban fantasy authors bring us original stories of supernatural, modern day knights that will have readers clamoring for more

What about you?

Friday Finds

2010-07-16T09:37:00.001+02:00

What great books did you hear about/discover this past week? Share with us your FRIDAY FINDS!

I havent been to the library for ages now and it always amazes me that when I do pop in what great books they have, not to mention that some of them are quite new.

I love it when I find a book that I have have maybe see on Amazon and then I see it sitting on the shelf at the local library, I always feel kinda smug.So here are my Friday Finds:

1. Infidel By Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Synopsis

In this profoundly affecting memoir from the internationally renowned author of The Caged Virgin, Ayaan Hirsi Ali tells her astonishing life story, from her traditional Muslim childhood in Somalia, Saudi Arabia, and Kenya, to her intellectual awakening and activism in the Netherlands, and her current life under armed guard in the West.

2. Birthright By Nora Roberts

Synopsis

When five-thousand-year-old human bones are found at a construction site in the small town of Woodsboro, the news draws archaeologist Callie Dunbrook out of her sabbatical and into a whirlwind of adventure, danger, and romance.
While overseeing the dig, she must try to make sense of a cloud of death and misfortune that hangs over the project-fueling rumors that the site is cursed. And she must cope with the presence of her irritating-but irresistible-ex-husband, Jake. Furthermore, when a stranger claims to know a secret about her privileged Boston childhood, she is forced to question her own past as well.

What about your Friday Finds?

Lover Mine By J.R Ward

2010-07-15T18:39:00.001+02:00

Synopsis

John Matthew has come a long way since he was found living among humans, his vampire nature unknown. Taken in by The Brotherhood, no one could guess what his true history was-or his true identity.

Xhex has long steeled herself against the attraction to John Matthew. Until fate intervenes and she discovers that love, like destiny, is inevitable

My Review Rating 6/10

* Note: This Review does contain spoilers*

As a BDB fan I know that J.R Ward is great at spinning a tale and I have enjoyed most of the BDB books with the exception of Vishous story. First off I went into this book without much interest in Xhex and John Matthew, it just didn’t seem like the type of relationship that I wanted to read about, but I thought that by the end of the book my view would change. Unfortunately it didn’t. I was interested up until they got together but I seem to always view John Matthew as this adolescent pre trans, instead of the bulky vamp he is now.

There were a few things wrong with this book for me and I’ll start with Xhex. Yes we all know she is hard as nails, but how is it possible for a woman, excuse me symphath, to be kidnapped, beaten and raped every day for 4 weeks, to even think about getting hot and heavy within just 2 days? Come on!!. It didn’t make any sense and was just not believable. Mind you that’s not the only amazing achievements of Xhex, she actually learned sign language in 2 days!! I was rolling my eyes by this point.
Darius and Tohrment’s adventures were ruined by an awful attempt at an old-fashioned language which was absolutely cringe worthy. If I had to read another “verily” I was going to throw the book at the wall. And there were pages of it. Yet again I rolled my eyes.
I would not categorize this book as Paranormal romance, as it was more on the side of Urban Fantasy, I don’t know how many pages I read until there was some actual sex. Seeing as I do prefer Urban Fantasy this was a welcome change and I enjoyed the different subplots.

Unfortunately I think that J.RWard is tending to drift away from the normal hetro romances in the first few books I enjoyed, It was bad enough reading about bondage and being gagged in Vishous story, and now she is venturing towards some pretty hard core, gay stories. Sorry I'm not interested. If future books follow this path I shall not be buying. Quinn just happening to swing both ways is such a turn off. I find this all too much for my tastes.
All in all it was a mediocre read.
But if you are thinking of reading this book, then you have to read the earlier books in the series.

Booking Through Thursday

2010-07-15T10:19:00.004+02:00

So … when you think about “hot reading,” what does that make you think of? Beach reading? Steamy romances? Books that take place in hot climates? Or cold ones?

Well it is actually Winter here in South Africa, but seeing as on the East Coast we have one of the mildest Winters then it s practically Summer all year round.

My Hot read would be something for the beach, something lighthearted and fun, I am not a big fan of romance but I will read them from time to time, depending on my mood and if theres more to the story then hissing, God I hate it when authors write like that.so my choice would be:

James Patterson Has Sold Over 1 Million Ebooks

2010-07-14T14:16:00.000+02:00

James Patterson Has Sold Over 1 Million Ebooks

Waiting on Wednesday

2010-07-14T09:22:00.006+02:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. This week I’m waiting on:

Mockinjay By Suzanne Collins

To be released August 24

Product Description

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins’s groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

Spirit Bound - Vampire Academy Book 5 - By Richelle Mead

2010-07-13T15:14:00.007+02:00

My Review Rating 9/10

Phew!! Well I finished this book in less than 2 days...as usuual with books in this series they are very hard to put down, and are extremely addictive.

What can I say about Spirit Bound?

It's going to be so difficult to write this review, because I can't talk about anything really without spoiling it. If you've read up to the last book, Blood Promise, you'll have questions. Well, most, if not all, of those get answered in one way or another. However, more questions arise; things happen in Spirit Bound that you wouldn't believe, and things are just so much more dangerous for Rose, in ways you wouldn't even consider.

Alot does happen in this book, but Spirit Bound wasn't as action packed as some of the other books in the series. This doesn't make the book bad at all, it just has a slightly different focus. Richelle's writing is just amazing! I love it! I am truly captivated by this series.

If I had my way, there would have been more Christian, more Adrian, and more Dimitri. Bad or good, I do love them both for different reasons.

This book is absolutely incredible! Was it my favourite of the series? No,that was probably Blood Promise, but then It's difficult to pick my favourite, it's all one story to me. But I absolutely loved it! I really can't wait to read Last Scarifice, the sixth and final book in the Vampire Academy series, which will be released 7th December 2010 - yet, I can wait, I don't want this series to end!

http://www.richellemead.com/

Other Books in this series you might enjoy

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo By Stieg Larsson

2010-07-13T14:59:00.003+02:00

My Review Rating 5/10

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO – By Stieg Larsson Book 1 of The Millenium Trilogy

The Main character in this book is Mikael Blomkvist, a financial journalist/author who has been recently convicted of libel and is possibly facing the end of his career. Then, just as Blomkvist is trying to figure out if his career is salvageable, an elderly tycoon named Henrik Vanger steps in with a lucrative offer of employment.

On the face of it, Henrik Vanger would like Blomkvist to write his autobiography of the Vanger family. But Henrik also wants Blomkvist to help him solve a cold murder case, and if the fabulous amounts of money he is willing to pay aren't enough of an enticement, he also offers to help Blomkvist defend himself against the presumably false libel charges, which makes this novel both a murder mystery and a revenge saga.
Into this scenario is thrown wild card Lisbeth Salander, a deranged computer hacker who joins forces with Blomkvist, and turns out to be the most interesting character in the book.

It is obvious that the author has put a lot of time and effort and probably many years of research into writing this book, it is also obvious that he is extremely intelligent. The problem with this novel for me was that it takes at least 100 pages before anything happens. There is a section in this book where Henrik talks to Blomkvist about the family history which at I thought further along in the book would turn out to be relevant, but it wasn’t, so why did the author include pages and pages unnecessary information ? It was completely boring and really irritating that at one point I just wanted to throw in the towel.
Another thing that irritated me slightly was the lengthy passages that were written as conversations which were dull, hard to follow, and at certain points I was unsure of who was saying what and to whom. Maybe that was due to the translation more than the fault of the writer but I am not sure why it was written that way andit did not demonstrate anything interesting enough about the characters to justify the presentation of the information.

If you can grin and bear it and get passed the 100 page mark, then this book turns out to just ok, are there better books to read though. YES. In no way is the hype justified with this book. The only saving grace was the character of Lisbeth Salander. She is somebody who I would like to read more about.

Teaser Tuesday

2010-07-13T11:23:00.003+02:00

This is the first time I have participated in Teaser Tuesday, and so here is Teaser for Dragonfly in Amber Book 2 of the Outlander Series By Diana Gabladon.

"God, what luck!" He poured a large dollop of wine into his cup, tossed it off, and poured
another.
Seeing me staring at him, he grinned and pushed the pitcher in my direction.
"Well, there's wine, lassie," he explained, "and then there's stuff you drink to wash the dust
away.

Dont you just love Jamie Fraser :-)

Twice Bitten - Book 2 of The Chicagoland Vampire Series By Chloe Neill

2010-07-12T11:49:00.005+02:00

From the Publisher

Neill's briskly paced third Chicagoland Vampires paranormal romance (after 2009's Friday Night Bites) makes new readers comfortable with a thorough recap before diving into swiftly developing events that will satisfy returning fans. In the two months since graduate student Merit was involuntarily turned into the Cadogan House Sentinel by master vampire Ethan Sullivan, she's become part of the vampires' recent emergence into the public eye, battled another master vampire, suffered several emotional upheavals, and honed her fighting skills. Now she's assigned to guard the leader of North America's shape-shifters as the packs gather in Chicago to discuss the future of their often strained relationship with vampires. Merit's frequently snarky voice and amusing observations about the occasional absurdities of her situation combine with the magic of Neill's world in a refreshing take on urban fantasy.

My Review Rating 9/10

I just love this series, its one of my favourites and it gets better and better with each book.If the first book is Merit's birth as a vampire, the second is her tortured adolescence, then I'd call this one Merit finally coming into her own as a vampire. A lot more action than in previous books (of every kind). We got to know some of the other players, Merit got to know more of her fellow vampires, and things are nicely set up for future books.

I am not going into the details as that would spoil it. The story flowed well, was a quick read, and I had a lot of fun reading it. I'll definitely be getting the next one.

READ IT!!

Perfect Chemistry - By Simone Elkeles

2010-07-11T17:33:00.002+02:00

My Review Rating 8/10

I have only recently started reading YA, and reading books like this makes me wonder why it has taken me so long.

Perfect Chemistry is set in Chicago in a small town ruled by a fierce social divide. The Northside of Fairfield is home to the wealthy and admired, whereas the Southside is where gangs and danger lurk at every corner. Northsider Brittany Ellis is everything a girl wants to be. She is rich, popular, captain of the pom squad, beautiful with an ideal set of friends and a picture perfect boyfriend and family. At least that's what Brittany wants everyone to think, you see, Brittany's life isn't perfect and everyday is a struggle to maintain control of that persona.

Southsider Alejandro Fuentes is one of the baddest bad boy's around town. He has a knack for creating fear and trouble everywhere he goes, usually it isn't his fault. Alex isn't affected either way since no one expects him to graduate High School, even if he secretly wants to. Alex is a fully fledged member of the Latino Blood gang that dictates Southside Fairfield. His sole focus is protecting his mother and brothers from the gang that rules his life, whilst maintaining his gang banger image. The irony baffles Alex tool.

On their first day as seniors at school, hot-headed-zero-tolerance-for-trouble teacher Mrs Peterson pairs Brittany and Alex together as chemistry partners for the rest of the year. Providing a new meaning to the term `opposites attract'.

The novel is written in a joint perspective, switching from Alex's and Brittany's perspective every chapter. This aids in understanding the characters for who they are inside and not what they are perceived to be by the rest of Fairfield. By getting access into both Brittany and Alex's head we understand the motives behind their actions, as well as who they really are inside and who they want to be.

Simone Elkeles explores the harsh realities of characters both South and North of Fairfield. She tackles issues like disabilities, drugs, sex, violence, loyalty and familial relationships whilst maintaining the lightheaded and sarcastic humour that she is renowned for.

It was a really enjoyable read.

Read it!!

Dark Lover Book1 - The Black Dagger Brotherhood By J.R.Ward

2010-07-11T17:15:00.002+02:00

My Review Rating 8.5/10

In this first book You are introduced to the compelling and dangergous world of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Wrath, the Blind King of the vampires, is asked by one of his closest friends, Darius, to help save the life of his half breed daughter Beth.

Beth, half human, half vampire, has no knowledge of the dark world of the vampires until Wrath shows up at her house one balmy night and from there the sparks begin to fly! All vampires start out as weak and have no vampire traits. Around the age of 25, they go through their transitions and have to drink the blood of a vampire of the opposite sex. This is what Darius has asked of Wrath. Although Wrath is against the idea to start, the death of his dear friend pushes him to do what he can and so he takes Beth on board. The more he spends time with her, the more he realises he loves her, a feeling which Beth returns ten fold!

I tend to rate the entertainment value of a book (despite whether I think it is actually well written or not) on how engrossed I become and how much of my to-do-list is being ignored while I am reading... This book had me up until 1.30 in the morning. This is a perfect book to take on a plane or have handy for a rainy day. You will not be bored. great FIRST BOOK TO A GREAT SERIES.

The Lovely Bones By Alice Sebold

2010-07-11T16:00:00.004+02:00

My Review Rating 9/10

All I can say is Wow!! I have just finished this book and I cant tell you how much I enjoyed this book. I feel almost mournful to let this book go. I cant remember a time when a book brought up so many different emotions, I never cry when reading a book, with The Lovely bones it happened almost every other page. It was heartwrenching from page one and I really felt so much for all of the characters in this story. It really tugs at your heartstrings.